Trump urges NATO to stop buying Russian oil, threatens major sanctions

US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged all NATO members to halt purchases of Russian oil, warning that he is prepared to impose major sanctions on Moscow if the alliance acts collectively. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized that he would take strong action once every NATO nation agrees to the move and begins implementation.

Trump criticized NATO’s commitment to confronting Russia, saying it has been “far less than 100%” and described continued oil purchases by some members as “shocking.” He also proposed that NATO impose tariffs of 50–100% on China, arguing that Beijing exerts significant influence over Russia, and such tariffs could weaken that leverage.

“This is not TRUMP’S WAR (it would never have started if I was President!), it is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s WAR,” Trump wrote. “I am only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives.”

Trump has previously threatened secondary sanctions against countries continuing to import Russian oil if progress to end the war in Ukraine, ongoing since 2022, remains stalled. In August, he imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods due to India’s continued purchases of Russian crude.

Meanwhile, the G7 nations and the EU have reduced trade ties with Russia and imposed a price cap on Russian oil. In response, Moscow has increased oil exports to countries such as China and India. The EU has committed to phasing out all Russian fossil fuel imports by 2028.