Why did POTUS not levy penal taxes on the European Union, though they continue to buy energy and fertilisers from Russia? How slowly and steadily, the hegemony of the US Dollar seems to be eroded and is now the fall perpetuated by the actions of the President of the United States?
Why, between the two terms of Trump, are the US’s strongest allies alienating it? Being alienated by Allies! Who is paying the price?
One of the famous Subhashits (teachings) in Sanskrit states,
“एकैकस्य यदादाय पुष्पस्य मधु संचितम्।
किंचिन् मधुकरीवर्गैस् तदप्यश्नन्ति निर्घृणाः॥“
Meaning – Bees, devoid of compassion, extract nectar from each flower—consuming even what was painstakingly gathered by every flower from the roots through the years without any compassion or remorse.
Similarly, greedy men, who are consumed by their gluttony, pursue vigorously even small amounts of pleasure and enjoyment at the cost of exploiting others and feeding off others’ efforts without mercy or gratitude.
The Mighty, Master of the Unipolar World, the magnanimous United States has caused over 75 per cent of the armed conflicts that have happened since World War 2 (calling them European War 2, as the conflict was amongst the European Nations predominantly) and beginning of the 21st century, with none being fought on its soil.
The capitalistic formula for the US has created conflicts and supplied arms, ammunition, and weapons to both sides. Despite over-indulgence in creating battles, wars and conflicts, none of the wars have been fought on their own soil mainly on account of 3 reasons:
- Nuclear Deterrence
- Strong Allies and alliances
- Geographical advantage
The US has a long coastline along the Pacific and Atlantic, and Canada to the North and Mexico to the South, making it almost impossible for any enemy to attack the US mainland. Furthermore, Canada has been one of the biggest allies of the US, with the US being the largest trading partner for Canada and Canada being the largest trading partner for the US.
Ignoring the past relations, the US levied a 35 per cent tariff on certain items in its recent tariff moves. Then Canada did what was unthinkable. Just a few days back, it returned US dairy products worth over USD 4.5 billion under the USMCA ( The United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement) that allowed only 3.6 per cent of the US dairy farmers in the Canadian market to supply duty-free. In July 2025, as soon as the export number from the US to Canada hit the 3.6 per cent mark, the entire shipment of highly perishable dairy products was returned.
Quickly, labels were altered and they were put on the US grocery stores and supermarkets at very heavy discounts. Some farmers who had limited storage capacity and lacked supermarket connections poured pounds of raw milk on their farms. Distressed and grief-filled images of US farmers were widely shared on social media in the US and Canada.
For some of them who could manage to place their products in Supermarkets and big format stores, the expiry is approaching fast, and farmers are under pressure because their wastage of the produce is staring bankruptcy in the face. Already in the first quarter CY 25 (Q1CY25), farm bankruptcies have exceeded the total number of bankruptcies filed by farmers in the US in calendar 2024.
The situation seems to be worsening with every single day, with every single ally of the mighty United States.
The hypocrisy of the Russian-Ukrainian War
In a recent move, the President of the United States has levied a 25 per cent tariff on certain goods of Bharat and an additional 25 per cent tariff on crude and military purchases from the Russian Federation by Bharat. The justification given by the President is the death of innocent civilians in Ukraine and Bharat’s money being used to fund the War.
Interestingly, it’s not the Bharat but the US that has been funding both sides of the War since February 2022, and you read it right, both sides.
To date, the US has sent aid, loans, humanitarian grants, arms, ammunition, and military supplies worth USD 128 billion to Ukraine, with a commitment of up to USD 175 billion.
On the other hand, Europe, including Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, has committed loans, aid, and support worth ~ USD 132 billion to Ukraine.
Between 2022 and 2025, since the start of the War between Russia and Ukraine, the United States has purchased and imported fertilisers from Russia worth more than USD 5.7 billion.
This is not all, beyond fertilisers, the United States imports palladium, which is crucial for catalytic converters in the automotive industry in the US. Enriched uranium for the US nuclear power plants is another key import from Russia. The we are still importing aircraft engine parts and speciality chemicals from Russia.
Since 2022, the total imports from the Russian Federation to the US till June 2025 stood at ~ 25.77 billion USD.
Similarly, European Union that has got a tariff rate from the US @ 15 per cent has been financing the Russians to fight the War against Ukraine by importing Russian natural gas, Crude, nickel mainly used for EV batteries and production of stainless steel and alloys, fertilizers, iron and steel worth ~ a whooping, mammoth, gigantic USD 458 billion till March 31 2025 since the War started in Feb 2022.
Looking at the data above, one can judge whose hands are stained with the blood of Innocent Russian and Ukrainian Civilians who have and are losing their lives in the conflict.
Ironically ~ half the entire Russian oil is purchased by China, however the we have levied no penal tariffs on China, as it knows, the levying incremental tariffs, will further push the middle class and lower middle class population of the US natives in further economic distress, which they are already facing on account of high interest rates on borrowed monies (debt) and higher cost of living due to reciprocal tariffs levied by the US on essential items including food, clothing, metals, electronics etc.
According to a leading Financial planning firm based in the United States, in Q1 CY 25, there has been a cut in consumer spending by about 21 per cent on clothes, footwear, apparel, and other discretionary items. Whilst some of the items have increased by 1 per cent to 2 per cent in price, many items like backpacks and lowers (casual pants), that used to cost USD 9.99 or USD 6.49 have suddenly gone up to USD 14.99 and USD 9.99, a colossal jump of 50 per cent and 53 per cent respectively.
Bharat has a large domestic economy and will embrace the challenges and hypocrisy of the United States. However, ultimately, the local US population will suffer who still believe in the pipe dream of the Great American story.
Every economy has a sunrise time and bowing down time, the same was witnessed by the Portugese in 16th century, by Spainiards in 17th century, by Netherlanders in 18th century, by French in early 19th century and by Britishers in early 20th century, and the same will be witnessed by the US soon with the Dedollarization, increasing external debt and poor global confidence on the US.
As ancient Sanatan Wisdom says, be nice on the way up, as you will meet the same people on the way down, and they will treat you the same way on the way down, the way you treated them on your way up.
Embrace your actions; life comes full circle, sometimes sooner, sometimes later.
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