US President Donald Trump has called on the European Union to hit China and India with tariffs of up to 100% as part of his efforts to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, a source familiar with the discussions has told the BBC.

He made the demand, first reported by the Financial Times, during a meeting between US and EU officials on Tuesday discussing options to increase economic pressure on Russia.

The proposal comes as Trump struggles to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv and as Russia’s strikes on Ukraine intensify.

Separately, Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he plans to talk to Putin on a call this week or early next week.

Ukraine’s main government building in Kyiv was struck by a Russian missile over the weekend – in an attack that was seen as both symbolic and a major increase of aggression by the Kremlin.

Over the weekend, attacks across the country marked the heaviest aerial bombardment on Ukraine since the war began. Ukraine said Russian forces used at least 810 drones and 13 missiles.

On Tuesday, more than 20 civilians were killed by a Russian glide bomb in the eastern Donbas region, as they queued to collect their pensions.

Speaking to reporters after the weekend bombardment, Trump said he was “not happy with the whole situation” and threatened harsher sanctions on the Kremlin.

The US president has previously threatened harsher measures against Russia, but not taken any action despite Putin ignoring his deadlines and threats of sanctions.

A highly anticipated summit between the leaders in Alaska last month ended without a peace deal.

Trump’s request to the European Union follows remarks from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said Washington was prepared to escalate economic pressure but needed stronger European backing.

Trump also said on Tuesday that the US and India were “continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers” between the two countries.

He plans to speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming weeks and expects a “successful conclusion” to their trade talks, he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

In response to the post, Modi echoed Trump’s optimism that the talks would be successful and said the two countries were “close friends and natural partners.”

“Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump,” he added.

Trump’s comments have been seen by some as the latest sign of a reconciliation between Washington and Delhi, after a collapse in their trade negotiations.

Last week, Trump emphasised the “special relationship” between India and the US, saying “there’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion”.

China and India are major buyers of Russian oil, which helps to keep the Russian economy afloat.

Last month, the US imposed a 50% tariff on goods from India, which included a 25% penalty for its transactions with Russia.

Although the EU has said it would end its dependency on Russian energy, around 19% of its natural gas imports still come from Russia.

If the EU does impose the tariffs on China and India it would mark a change to its approach of attempting to isolate Russia with sanctions rather than trade levies.

The justice department on Tuesday charged a man accused of fatally stabbing a Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina commuter train last month with a federal crime that could carry the death penalty.

The federal charge comes amid growing questions about why Decarlos Brown Jr was on the street despite 14 prior criminal arrests before he was accused of pulling out a knife and killing 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska in an apparently random attack captured on video.

The case has become latest flashpoint in the debate over whether cities such as Charlotte are adequately addressing violent crime, mental illness and transit safety. The Trump administration says the killing shows how local leaders, judges and policies in Democratic-led cities are failing to protect their residents from violent crime.

“Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream – her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, said in a statement. “We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence – he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”

Zarutska had been living in a bomb shelter in Ukraine before coming to to the US to escape the war, according to relatives, who described her as determined to build a safer life.

Video released on Friday shows Zarutska entering a light-rail train on 22 August and taking a seat in front of Brown, who was seated behind her. Minutes later, without any apparent interaction, he pulled out a pocketknife, stood and slashed her in the neck, investigators said. Passengers screamed and scattered as she collapsed.

He was charged federally with causing death on a mass transportation system, which carries up to life in prison or the death penalty. Russ Ferguson, the US attorney for the western district of North Carolina, said additional charges could be brought as the investigation continues.

The federal case will run parallel with the state case charging Brown with first-degree murder.

The death penalty is also a potential punishment for people convicted of first-degree murder in North Carolina. However, the state has not carried out an execution since 2006. Legal challenges over the use of lethal injection drugs and a doctor’s presence at executions have in part delayed action.

Brown had cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade including serving five years for robbery with a dangerous weapon in Mecklenburg county, according to court records. He was arrested earlier this year after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital, claiming people were trying to control him. A judge released him without bail.

His mother told local television she sought an involuntary psychiatric commitment this year after he became violent at home. Doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia.

Court records show a judge ordered a psychological exam in July at the request of his public defender to determine whether he was capable of contributing to his own defense. It wasn’t clear if the exam was scheduled or why it didn’t happen before the late August attack.

The Mecklenburg county public defender’s office did not answer a call on Tuesday.

Charlotte has increased security along its transit lines in response to the fatal stabbing, mayor Vi Lyles said in a letter to the city’s residents. The Democratic mayor’s letter was also critical of the court system, echoing some of the critics of the city’s response.

Lyles called the killing “a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates”, saying the city’s officers arrest people who are then quickly released.

The stabbing comes as Lyles is seeking the Democratic nomination on Tuesday in her bid for a fifth term, and uproar from Republicans, including Trump and figures in the make America great again movement.

The state auditor, Republican Dave Boliek, said his office would audit Charlotte’s transit system, looking at its safety and security budget and private security contracts.