The Trump administration on Friday imposed tariffs of 12.5% on imports from Russia, placing it among 60 economies accused by the United States of failing to eradicate forced labor.
Russia is also one of more than two dozen countries hit with the maximum 12.5% rate for alleged failures to enact or effectively enforce bans on goods produced with forced labor. Other U.S. trading partners, including Britain and the European Union, were slapped with tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5%.
“President Trump is tackling modern-day slavery at its source by requiring our trading partners to enact and enforce import bans to ensure products made by workers under such horrifying conditions are no longer traded in global commerce,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a statement.
The new measures took effect immediately following the midnight expiration of President Donald Trump’s temporary 10% global tariff, which lasted 150 days. Goods currently in transit are exempt until midnight Eastern Daylight Time on July 28.
U.S.-Russian trade fell sharply following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, totaling $4.4 billion last year. Top U.S. imports from Russia include fertilizers, nuclear materials and precious metals, while American exports to Russia consist primarily of vaccines and medical products.
The tariffs also include exceptions for essential raw materials, items not produced in the U.S. and goods preventing economic disruption.
A senior administration official disputed assertions that the forced labor measures are merely a direct replacement for the expired global duties, despite the overlapping timing, comparable rates, and broad coverage across U.S. imports.
The official argued that the U.S. maintains and enforces stricter bans on forced-labor goods than its trading partners, which places American businesses at an unfair disadvantage.
Numerous key commodities and goods will be exempt from the new levies, including oil and gas, fertilizers, certain foodstuffs, aircraft, aircraft components, and critical minerals. Items already subject to U.S. national security tariffs — such as automobiles, steel, aluminum and copper — are also excluded.
Reuters contributed reporting.
