New US tariffs target 180 countries, except Belarus, Russia

April 3, Pozirk. The reciprocal tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump affect 180 countries, including almost all former Soviet republics, except Belarus and Russia, according to the list published by the White House yesterday.

Russia was left out of the list because US sanctions already “preclude any meaningful trade,” while Cuba, Belarus and North Korea were not included because existing tariffs and sanctions on them are already high, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Axios.

In April 2022, the United States suspended Normal Trade Relations (NTR) with Russia and Belarus, effectively moving imports from these countries to “Column 2” duty rates in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Column 2 rates are typically higher and vary by product category. Additionally, in June 2022, the United States increased duties on certain Belarusian products to 35 percent, affecting various goods, including steel and aluminum items.

The Trump administration’s new tariffs, described as a declaration of US economic independence and a tool to combat unfair trade, could foreshadow a major disruption of global trade.

A 10-percent baseline tariff is set for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the war-torn Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Trading partners subject to customized tariff rates include Kazakhstan with 27 percent and Moldova with 31 percent, as well as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia subject to a 20-percent tariff, along with the other European Union countries.