Trump sets strict conditions
US President Donald Trump said he is prepared to impose harsher sanctions on Russia. But he made it conditional on Nato members halting their purchases of Russian oil. On his Truth Social account, he declared he was “ready for major sanctions on Russia” once Nato states had “agreed and started to do the same.”
Trump has often threatened tougher measures against Moscow. Yet he has not acted when the Kremlin ignored his warnings. He called the continued oil trade “shocking.” He also urged Nato to impose tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on China. He argued such tariffs would weaken Beijing’s “strong control” over Russia.
Trump’s message to Nato allies
In what he called a letter to Nato nations, 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 claimed that cutting energy imports from Russia alongside tariffs on China would help end the conflict. He promised the tariffs would be “fully withdrawn” after the war.
Europe cuts energy reliance
Europe’s dependence on Russian energy has already dropped since the war began. In 2022, the EU imported about 45 percent of its gas from Russia. That figure is expected to fall to around 13 percent this year. Trump’s words suggest he considers that still too high.
His comments came as tensions rose between Nato and Moscow. More than a dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace on Wednesday. Warsaw said the move was deliberate. Moscow denied it and said it had “no plans to target facilities in Poland.”
Nato boosts eastern defence
Denmark, France and Germany have joined a Nato mission to strengthen the eastern flank. They will move military assets eastward. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Europe to cut Russian energy imports. 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 countries have spent around €210 billion on Russian oil and gas. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said much of this funded Moscow’s war effort. The EU has pledged to phase out energy imports by 2028. Washington wants a faster timeline and is offering its own energy supplies as an alternative.
Turkey poses key challenge
Trump’s warning was directed at Nato, not the EU. That includes Turkey, which still buys large volumes of Russian oil. Ankara also maintains closer ties with Moscow than any other Nato ally. Persuading Turkey to stop imports could prove especially challenging.
Trump last raised the threat of tougher sanctions in September after Russia’s heaviest attacks on Ukraine. Asked if he was ready for a “second phase” of punishment, he replied: “Yes, I am.” But he shared no details. The US had earlier imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. It also applied a 25 percent penalty on Russian-related transactions that continue to finance the war.
