US President Donald Trump did not include Russia, Belarus, DPRK and Cuba in the list of countries that have been imposed on new duties. As the spokesman of the White House, Caroline Livitt, explained, the reason is the existing sanctions that are imposed on these countries and which "exclude any significant trade." According to her, these countries are already under such restrictions that new duties have no significant impact on their trade with the United States.
It is worth noting that these sanctions that already exist limit trade between the US and Russia, as well as its allies, such as Belarus and the DPRK. This explains why they were excluded from new tariff restrictions, despite the fact that other countries, including Ukraine, have been on the list of increased duties.
According to Livitt, although Russia has not been included in this list, it may still face "additional strict sanctions" in the future. This means that the US does not rule out the possibility of further economic restrictions on Russia if the situation in the international arena changes.
Against the backdrop of these new mips, it should be noted that the US continues to trade with Russia, albeit in much smaller volume. In particular, it should be noted that the cost of bilateral trade between the US and Russia fell sharply from about $ 35 billion in 2021 to only $ 3.5 billion in 2022.
In addition, this new set of duties also excludes Canada and Mexico, as these countries have already been imposed on 25%duties earlier, which reduces the need for additional trade restrictions.
However, despite the fact that Russia and other countries remain outside new duties, it is impossible to exclude the possibility of introducing additional economic restrictions in the future. This emphasizes the strategic role of sanctions and duties in American foreign policy, especially in countries that are potential opponents or have contradictory relations with the United States.
