US trade war with China, Mexico, and Canada benefits Russia

As of March 4, the United States has imposed 10–25% tariffs on exports from China, Canada, and Mexico. President Donald Trump justified these measures by claiming that all three countries "have not taken sufficient action to stop the flow of fentanyl and its precursors into the U.S." American importers may choose to completely halt imports from these nations, which could put businesses in a difficult position and push their economies into recession – especially in cases of Canada and Mexico. Since Canada is one of the leading arms suppliers to Ukraine, any economic troubles it faces could limit its ability to continue military aid to Kyiv. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced retaliatory 25% tariffs on $275 billion worth of American goods within 21 days. However, finding alternatives to U.S. products will be challenging due to logistical difficulties, likely forcing Canada to absorb the cost increases. Additionally, discussions have emerged about banning Canadian nickel exports to the U.S., which currently account for 50% of America’s nickel imports. This, in turn, could benefit Russia’s Norilsk Nickel.