President Donald Trump on Saturday urged all 32 NATO allies to stop purchasing Russian oil and said he was “ready to do major Sanctions on Russia” once they do, pressing for a united economic response that he said would hasten an end to the war in Ukraine.
In a post on his Truth Social platform addressed to NATO member states, Trump proposed that the alliance coordinate a program of sanctions on Moscow and suggested that NATO as a group impose 50% to 100% tariffs on China, to be lifted after the conflict in Ukraine ends. He said the measures would weaken Russia’s finances and break what he described as China’s “grip” over Moscow.
“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,” Trump wrote. He said he would act after NATO nations agreed and began to stop buying Russian oil and emphasized that his proposed tariffs on China would be temporary and contingent on the war’s end.
Trump also framed the conflict as attributable to current leaders, writing, “This is not TRUMP’S WAR (it would never have started if I was President!), it is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s WAR.” He said he was “only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives,” citing a figure he said represented lives lost in a single week.
The president has for weeks advocated for tougher economic measures against Moscow and for allies to adopt tariffs on China and India, arguing that pressure on buyers of Russian fuel would shift purchases to U.S. suppliers. He repeated a contention that the United States has already imposed a 50% duty on India for buying oil from Russia and said he would continue negotiations to address trade barriers with that country.
Independent researchers have reported that several large buyers of Russian fossil fuels continued to import significant volumes in recent months. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported that China purchased more than $7.2 billion worth of Russian fossil fuels in July, and India purchased about $3.6 billion that month. The Helsinki-based group has said fossil fuel imports from Moscow were outpacing some financial assistance flows from the European Union to Ukraine.
Turkey has been among the largest purchasers of Russian oil since 2023, and some NATO members, including Hungary, have continued purchases from Moscow. France, Belgium and Spain accounted for a large share of Russian liquefied natural gas imports in 2024, according to data cited by energy analysts.
A recent appeal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have influenced at least one buyer: Slovakia announced steps to phase out Russian oil and gas after consultations with Ukrainian officials, Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak said following a meeting between Slovakia’s prime minister and Zelensky.
Trump’s call for coordinated NATO sanctions and high tariffs on China signals an escalation in public pressure on U.S. allies to cut economic ties with Moscow. Implementation would be complex: NATO is a security alliance and not a trade bloc, and decisions on energy purchases and tariffs are determined by individual member governments. Analysts note that aligning 32 countries around a single economic strategy would require separate diplomatic negotiations and domestic approvals in each capital.
The White House and NATO did not immediately comment on Trump’s post. His remarks come amid continuing diplomatic activity in the region, including recent high-level meetings between leaders of China, India and Russia. Any shift in import patterns or coordinated tariffs would have broad implications for global energy markets and U.S. relations with Asian trading partners.
Trump framed his proposals as a path to ending the war quickly and saving lives, while blaming the conflict’s outbreak on President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leadership. His public statement adds to a series of interventions this year in which he has urged tougher economic measures on Moscow and broader trade penalties on China, advancing a campaign message that ties national security to trade policy.
Observers and analysts will be watching whether NATO capitals engage with the proposal and how market and diplomatic dynamics respond if any members announce changes to their energy procurement or trade policies in the coming days and weeks.