U.S. President Donald Trump has called on NATO member states to immediately halt purchases of Russian oil and impose steep tariffs on Chinese goods measures he claims would help bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump criticized NATO’s resolve, arguing that continued reliance on Russian energy by some alliance members undermines its leverage against Moscow. “A NATO ban on Russian oil plus tariffs on China would also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” he wrote.
Since Russia’s 2023 invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has emerged as the third-largest buyer of Russian oil. Hungary and Slovakia also remain heavily dependent on Russian fuel, despite being part of the 32-member NATO alliance.
Trump’s comments come just days after Russian drones reportedly entered Polish airspace and were intercepted by NATO aircraft. While the incident raised alarm, Trump downplayed its significance, suggesting it “could have been a mistake.”
The president’s post also called for NATO countries to impose tariffs ranging from 50 to 100 percent on Chinese imports, with the option to lift them if the war in Ukraine ends. Trump argued that China holds “strong control over Russia” and that aggressive trade measures could “break that grip.”
The U.S. has already enacted a 25 percent import tax on Indian goods in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian energy.
Trump’s approach to Moscow has drawn criticism for its lack of urgency. His recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska yielded no breakthroughs, and Congress is currently pushing for stronger sanctions.
In his post, Trump placed blame for the war on his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy notably excluding Putin, who ordered the invasion.
The message builds on a recent call with finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7), where U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged allied nations to present a “unified front” to cut off funding for Russia’s military operations.
