WASHINGTON — President Trump demanded Saturday that all NATO countries help the US slap “major sanctions” on Moscow and wind down the war in Ukraine by first halting purchases of Russian oil and imposing up to 100% tariffs on China.
“I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump posted on Truth Social in a letter to the 32 member states.
“As you know, NATO’S commitment to WIN has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian Oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia,” he went on.
In his most direct remarks, Trump said that he is “ready” to move on the sanctions, which could have a devastating impact on Russia’s finances — but ultimately left the decision in the hands of NATO members.
“Just say when? I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” he added.
The president has also been pushing the Europeans for weeks to slap tariffs on China as well as India — and ratchet up the economic pressure on Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin. Further sanctions would also pressure those nations to buy US oil instead.
China bought more than $7.2 billion worth of Russian fossil fuels in July, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
“China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip,” Trump emphasized in his Saturday post.
India also purchased around $3.6 billion in fossil fuels from Moscow in July, the Helsinki-based research group’s report showed.
The US has already levied 50% duties on India for buying oil from Russia, though Trump announced that he would be involved in “continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations.”
After China and India, Turkey, a NATO member, has been the third-biggest purchaser of Russian oil since 2023, statistics from the group show.
Hungary also continues to buy its oil from Moscow, while France, Belgium and Spain accounted for roughly 85% of all Russian liquid natural gas imports in 2024, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
The Centre noted earlier this year that fossil fuel imports from Moscow were outpacing financial assistance from the European Union to Ukraine.
But a recent appeal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have dissuaded at least one large purchaser of Putin’s oil.
“Slovakia is ready to find the opportunities of how to make good for their people and to settle this problem without the Russian oil and Russian gas,” said Zelensky’s top adviser Andriy Yermak after Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico met with the Ukrainian president.
Trump added in his post Saturday: “This is not TRUMP’S WAR (it would never have started if I was President!), it is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s WAR.”
“I am only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives (7,118 lives lost last week, alone. CRAZY!),” he added.
“If NATO does as I say, the WAR will end quickly, and all of those lives will be saved! If not, you are just wasting my time, and the time, energy, and money of the United States.”
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