President Donald Trump has urged NATO allies to stop buying Russian oil and support broad new sanctions and tariffs on Moscow and Beijing, arguing that the measures would help to end Russia’s years-long conflict with Ukraine.
In a Truth Social post Saturday morning, Trump stated that he has written to all nations of the world, indicating that he is ready to impose “major sanctions” on Russia and new tariffs on China, but only if all NATO nations agree and begin taking the same steps.
“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!” Trump wrote.
“It significantly weakens your negotiating position and bargaining power with Russia. Anyway, I’m ready to ‘go’ whenever you are. “Just say when?”
Since 2023, NATO member Turkey has been the third-largest buyer of Russian oil, trailing only China and India, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Hungary and Slovakia are among the other NATO members who continue to purchase Russian oil.
Trump urged NATO to impose tariffs on China ranging from 50% to 100%, which would be lifted once the war between Russia and Ukraine ended.
He claimed that sanctions and tariffs would break China’s grip on Russia, and that the war would never have begun if he had been in office.
“Tariffs will break that grip. This is not Trump’s war (it would never have begun if I were president!); it is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s war,” Trump stated. “I’m only here to help stop it and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives (7,118 people died last week alone). Crazy!).”
“If NATO does what I say, the war will be over quickly and all of those lives will be saved! If not, you’re wasting my time, as well as the United States’ time, energy, and money.”
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to end the war quickly, but he has admitted it has been more difficult than he expected.
Since returning to office, Trump has pressed for an end to the war, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy several times, including once at the Vatican, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
NATO allies have been on high alert this week after nearly two dozen Russian drones entered Poland on Wednesday during a mass aerial attack on Ukraine, which Trump suggested could have been an accident but Poland and Ukraine have categorically denied.
On Friday, Trump said he was “sort of” running out of patience with Putin “fast” after the Kremlin announced that talks with Ukraine were “on pause.”
“But it does take two to tango,” Trump said after host Brian Kilmeade mentioned that Zelenskyy had offered to meet with Putin several times.
“It’s amazing—when Putin wanted to do it, Zelenskyy said no.” Putin refused to do what Zelenskyy wanted to do. “Now Zelenskyy wants to, and Putin is the question mark.”
