U.S. President Donald Trump said he is prepared to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, but only if NATO countries agree to halt purchases of Russian oil. Writing on Truth Social, he declared he was “ready to do major sanctions on Russia” once NATO members “agreed, and started, to do the same thing.”
Trump described continued Russian oil purchases by some allies as “shocking” and warned that they undermine the alliance’s ability to negotiate with Moscow.
Proposal to Target China With Tariffs
In addition to sanctions on Russia, Trump urged NATO to impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on China, arguing it would weaken Beijing’s influence over Russia. He suggested that both measures — halting Russian energy purchases and levying heavy tariffs on China — would accelerate an end to the war in Ukraine.
Europe’s reliance on Russian gas has already declined sharply since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The EU imported about 45% of its gas from Russia that year, compared to an expected 13% this year. Still, Trump’s comments suggested that he views this as insufficient.
Since 2022, European nations have spent around €210 billion on Russian oil and gas, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, funding that has helped sustain Moscow’s war effort. The EU has pledged to fully phase out Russian energy purchases by 2028, though Washington has pressed for a faster timeline.
Rising Tensions With Russia
Trump’s message came as NATO allies confronted heightened tensions with Moscow. More than a dozen Russian drones recently entered Polish airspace, which Warsaw described as a deliberate act. Moscow dismissed the incident, saying it had “no plans to target” facilities in Poland.
Meanwhile, Denmark, France, and Germany have joined a NATO mission to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also urged European nations to cut all energy ties with Russia.
Trump’s appeal was directed at NATO, not just the EU, which means countries such as Turkey are included. Turkey remains a significant buyer of Russian oil and has maintained closer relations with Moscow than other NATO members, making it a difficult partner to persuade.
Trump has issued similar threats before, including earlier this month after a wave of Russian strikes on Ukraine. When asked if he was prepared to escalate sanctions, he said, “Yeah, I am,” but offered no details.
What The Author Thinks
Trump’s approach places pressure squarely on NATO allies, effectively making U.S. sanctions conditional on others acting first. While this strategy may be intended to show strength, it risks deepening divisions within the alliance. NATO countries already face political and economic strain over energy supply, and pushing them to move faster could complicate unity rather than strengthen it. Sanctions are most effective when coordinated, but conditioning them on immediate compliance may slow progress instead of speeding it up.
Featured image credit: Heute
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