Don’t want Europe to buy Russian oil, US willing to impose sanctions: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has criticised European nations for buying oil from Russia amidst Moscow’s war against Ukraine. “Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don’t want them to buy oil… and the sanctions that they’re putting on are not tough enough,” said the 47th American president, stating that he is ready to impose fresh sanctions on Russia “if NATO nations stop buying its oil”. 

Trump’s latest remarks on the matter come at a time when the US already has significant sanctions on Russia, targeting individuals, corporates and sectors. and ranging from defence to finance to energy to travel. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called out to European nations over their purchase of Russian crude oil purchases, foreign media reported.

Donald Trump ready to sanction Russia if NATO nations stop buying its oil

“I’m willing to do sanctions, but they’re going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I’m doing,” wrote Trump on social networking platform Truth Social. 

He said he was “ready to do major sanctions on Russia” once NATO nations had “agreed, and started, to do the same thing”.

His remarks follow Kremlin ignoring his deadlines and warnings about sanctions. Describing oil purchases from Russia s “shocking”, Trump has suggested that NATO nations place 50 to 100 per cent tariffs on China in order to weaken its “strong control” over Russia.

“I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when?” asks Donald Trump 

Describing his note as a a letter to NATO nations, the US president wrote: “I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when?”

The purchase of NATO nations’ Russian oil “greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia”, he wrote. 

NATO consists of 32 member nations, including the US, much of Europe, and Canada, with Sweden (2023) and Finland (2024) being the two most recent members.

The US has been stepping up pressure on NATO member countries to tighten their energy sanctions on Russia. Trump has announced two-week deadlines for Russia several times.

Last week, the Group of Seven nations’ finance ministers discussed sanctions on Russia and possible import duties on countries they consider “enabling” its war in Ukraine.

Energy revenue remains Russia’s single crucial source of funding to finance its war against Ukraine. However, many analysts and financial experts have warned against aggressive curbs on Russian crude, stating that higher oil prices could hurt the West.

Europe’s reliance on Russian crude oil has fallen significantly since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The development comes roughly a fortnight into Trump’s additional 25 per cent duty on India, taking the total tariff on Indian goods to 50 per cent. The additional 25 per cent is over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, even as India has clarified its firm stance that energy security and affordable oil supplies are driven by market conditions and domestic needs, not by geopolitical alignments.

PM Narendra Modi’s administration has also accused Washington and its allies of “double standards”, as Western nations — including the US and Europe — continue to trade with Russia in other sectors. 

Meanwhile, the Trump 2.0 administration has refrained from slapping additional tariffs on China over its Russian oil purchases.

Last week, India and the US expressed hope that a trade deal between them will be finalised by the end of the year.