Ready to impose sanctions on Russia if NATO does the same
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One upon departure for New York, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 11, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is prepared to implement significant sanctions on Russia once all NATO countries have initiated similar actions and halted their purchases of oil from Moscow.
He also called on NATO nations to impose “50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA,” suggesting that these tariffs should be lifted once the Russia-Ukraine conflict reaches a resolution.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that these tariffs on China would weaken China’s influence over Russia and ultimately break that grip.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent praised Trump’s push for strict sanctions on China, emphasizing the need for a united effort to cut off funding for Putin’s war machine.
Despite his repeated threats, Trump has refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia thus far.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged allies to take decisive action and impose sanctions without delay.
Zelenskyy stressed the importance of reducing the consumption of Russian oil to diminish Russia’s ability to continue the conflict.
Trump’s delay in imposing sanctions may stem from his desire to mediate a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump’s focus has now shifted to pressuring NATO nations to exert influence on Russia and end the ongoing conflict.
He emphasized the importance of NATO’s commitment to victory and criticized the purchase of Russian oil by some member countries.
Trump singled out Hungary and Slovakia for continuing to purchase Russian fossil fuels, calling for the displacement of all Russian gas to support efforts to end the war.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright echoed this sentiment, expressing the collective goal of halting the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
