It's a Shock for Many Countries, Says Zakharova

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has described the trade tariffs and duties imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on other countries as a traditional tool of American policy that has shocked other nations. She made this statement on her Telegram channel.

She noted that U.S. and retaliatory tariffs have "increased even further" in the last 24 hours, and that serious negotiations are currently underway. "For states, this is one of the traditional ways of doing business. For many countries, it's a shock," wrote Zakharova.

On April 2, Trump introduced a new system of import tariffs for 185 countries. The base rate for all imported goods was set at 10%, with significantly higher rates for specific countries—34% for China, 46% for Vietnam, and 20% for the European Union. In response, China has also imposed a 34% tariff on American goods. World leaders have condemned Trump’s decision and threatened to retaliate.