Trump Demands NATO Stop Buying Russian Oil or Face Sanctions

US President Issues Ultimatum to NATO Allies

President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to NATO member countries, demanding they immediately cease purchasing oil from Russia and impose massive tariffs of 50-100% on Chinese goods. In a Truth Social post, Trump threatened that failure to comply would result in the US withholding "heavy sanctions" against Russia.

Pressure on Key NATO Members

The presidential demands particularly target Hungary, Turkey, and Slovakia - nations maintaining close ties with Moscow and heavily dependent on Russian energy imports. Trump claims to have formalized these requirements in an official letter to NATO leadership.

"If the US and EU impose more sanctions and introduce tariffs for countries buying oil from Russia, the Russian economy will collapse and that will bring Putin to the negotiation table," Treasury Secretary Bessent told NBC News, echoing the administration's position.

Strategic Economic Warfare

Trump argues that continued Russian oil purchases weaken the West's negotiating position with President Vladimir Putin regarding the Ukraine conflict. The proposed China tariffs represent an additional pressure tactic, with Trump asserting that "China has firm control over, and even a grip on, Russia."

Recent Sanctions Escalation

Last month, the Trump administration already implemented 25% tariffs on India for its substantial Russian oil imports, later doubling them to 50%. This move signaled Washington's willingness to target third countries supporting Russia's war economy.

The ultimatum comes amid stalled peace negotiations following Trump's August summit with Putin in Alaska and subsequent meetings with Ukrainian President Zelensky and European leaders. Kremlin officials confirmed yesterday that talks remain "on pause" with significant disagreements over occupied Ukrainian territories and post-war security guarantees.