Trump Presses NATO on Russian Oil, Zelenskyy Urges Global Buyers to Cut Imports

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned NATO partners that sanctions on Moscow will only succeed if all members act in unison and stop buying Russian oil, arguing that purchases by some allies have weakened the alliance’s negotiating position. 

In a letter circulated to NATO capitals and posted online, Trump said he was prepared to impose “major sanctions” but only if all NATO members commit to coordinated action. He accused certain states of undermining NATO’s credibility by continuing to import Russian crude.

Trump’s letter warns NATO partners against continued Russian oil imports.
Via AF Post

Trump also tied the issue to China, proposing that NATO impose tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on Chinese goods until the war in Ukraine ends. He claimed such measures would help break Beijing’s “grip” on Moscow and accelerate a negotiated end to the conflict. “NATO’s commitment to win has been far less than 100%,” Trump wrote. 

“The purchase of Russian oil, by some, has been shocking. It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed the appeal, stressing that cutting oil revenues remains the most direct way to curb Russia’s ability to wage war. 

“It is necessary to reduce the consumption of Russian oil, and this will definitely reduce Russia’s ability to fight,” he said on Saturday. “We can hear the position of the U.S., and this position should be heard by all who still choose supplies from Russia rather than from other partners.”

It is necessary to reduce the consumption of Russian oil, and this will definitely reduce Russia's ability to fight. We can hear the position of the US, and this position should be heard by all who still choose supplies from Russia rather than from other partners. pic.twitter.com/vCyLJiigEy

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 13, 2025

Trade data underline the scale of the challenge. In August, India’s Russian crude imports rose to €2.9 billion, nearly equaling China’s €3.1 billion. 

Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia, NATO members, also continue to rely heavily on Russian energy despite the invasion. These flows have kept Moscow’s revenues strong, even as Western sanctions have targeted other parts of the Russian economy.

The administration is now pressing G7 partners to widen the effort. In an emergency finance call on Friday, Treasury Secretary Bessent and Ambassador Greer urged G7 ministers to impose tariffs on countries still buying Russian oil. 

“Only with a unified effort that cuts off the revenues funding Putin’s war machine at the source will we be able to apply sufficient economic pressure to end the senseless killing,” they said in a joint statement.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to escalate sanctions but has so far avoided direct measures against NATO partners or other major buyers of Russian crude. 

His latest letter signals rising impatience with allies, and a willingness to tie progress on Ukraine to broader trade penalties on China. Whether G7 and NATO members will risk domestic energy shocks and political fallout to meet Washington’s demands remains uncertain.