Trump sets conditions for action
US President Donald Trump announced he is prepared to impose harsher sanctions on Russia. But he demanded Nato members first stop importing Russian oil. On his Truth Social platform, he said he was “ready for major sanctions on Russia” once Nato states had “agreed and started to do the same.”
Trump has repeatedly warned of stronger measures against Moscow. Yet he has not acted when the Kremlin ignored his threats. He called the purchase of Russian oil “shocking.” He also urged Nato to apply tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on China. He argued this would weaken Beijing’s “strong control” over Russia.
Trump sends warning to Nato
In what he called a letter to Nato, Trump wrote: “I am ready to go when you are. Just say when.” He added: “The purchase of Russian oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position with Russia.” He insisted that cutting Russian energy imports together with tariffs on China would help shorten the war. He said tariffs should be “fully withdrawn” once the conflict ends.
Europe lowers dependence on Russia
Europe’s reliance on Russian energy has dropped since Moscow’s invasion began. In 2022, the EU imported around 45 percent of its gas from Russia. That figure is expected to fall to 13 percent this year. Trump’s remarks suggest he sees this decline as insufficient.
His message came during a tense period between Nato and Russia. More than a dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace on Wednesday. Warsaw called the move deliberate. Moscow rejected that claim and said it had “no plans to target facilities in Poland.”
Nato shifts troops east
Denmark, France and Germany have joined a new Nato mission. They will send military assets to strengthen the eastern flank of the alliance. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Europe to stop Russian energy purchases. In an interview, he said: “We must stop any purchase of energy from Russia. We cannot make deals if we want to stop them.”
Since 2022, European nations have spent about €210 billion on Russian oil and gas. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported that much of this money has financed Moscow’s war. The EU has pledged to end imports by 2028. Washington is pressing for quicker action while offering its own energy as an alternative.
Trump targets Turkey’s imports
Trump’s warning was directed at Nato, not the EU. That includes Turkey, a major buyer of Russian oil. Ankara also maintains closer ties with Moscow than any other Nato state. Persuading Turkey to cut Russian supplies could be especially difficult.
Trump last threatened harsher sanctions in September after Russia’s heaviest bombardment of Ukraine. Asked if he was ready for a “second phase” of punishment, he said: “Yes, I am.” But he provided no further details. The US had already imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. It also added a 25 percent penalty on Russian-linked transactions that continue to fund the war.
