Washington, Sept 14: US President Donald Trump has warned he will impose far tougher sanctions on Russia, but only if NATO members first cut purchases of Russian oil and join the effort. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was “ready to do major sanctions on Russia” once allies had “agreed, and started, to do the same thing,” the BBC reported.
He accused some Nato countries of undermining their own negotiating position by continuing to buy Russian energy, calling it “shocking.” In what he described as a letter to alliance members, Trump urged them to halt oil purchases and even proposed tariffs of 50–100% on Chinese imports, arguing it would weaken Beijing’s “strong control” over Moscow, according to the BBC.
European dependence on Russian gas has fallen sharply since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. EU imports have dropped from roughly 45% of supply to about 13% this year. Trump suggested this is still too high and said a total stop, combined with heavy tariffs on China that would later be lifted, could help end the war, the BBC stated.
NATO military capability including nuclear triad targeting Russ...
The message came as Nato allies reported more than a dozen Russian drones crossing into Polish airspace. Warsaw called the move deliberate. Moscow denied it intended to target Polish sites. Denmark, France and Germany have pledged new deployments to reinforce Nato’s eastern flank, according to the BBC
The British media outlet added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also urged Europe to cut all energy and trade ties with Moscow. Since the start of the war, European countries have spent more than €210bn (£182bn) on Russian oil and gas, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The EU plans to phase out Russian energy imports entirely by 2028, but Washington is pressing for a faster timeline, partly by selling American fuel as an alternative.
Trump’s warning was directed at Nato as a whole, which includes Turkey, a major buyer of Russian oil and a country reluctant to sever ties with Moscow. Analysts say convincing Ankara could be difficult, said the BBC
The latest threat follows Trump’s comments earlier this month after Russia’s heaviest strikes on Ukraine since the war began, when he told reporters he was ready for the “second phase” of sanctions but gave no details, the BBC reported.
