Trump demands NATO end Russian oil imports, tariff China
4 Min Read
In a letter posted on Truth Social, he said NATO countries are not 100% committed to win against Russia if they continue to buy oil from it
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President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives on Air Force One at LaGuardia Airport, Thursday, Sept 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
US President Donald Trump issued a public letter to NATO nations on Saturday calling for a coordinated boycott of Russian oil and major tariffs on China as conditions for US participation in expanded sanctions against Russia, aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict.
In the statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said he is "ready to do major Sanctions on Russia" but only after all NATO members agree to stop purchasing Russian oil and implement the same sanctions measures. The president criticized some NATO allies for continuing oil purchases from Russia, calling them "shocking" and saying they "greatly weaken your negotiating position."
Trump also proposed that NATO implement tariffs of "50% to 100%" on Chinese goods, which he said should remain in place until the war between Russia and Ukraine ends. He argued that such measures would weaken China's influence over Russia, claiming China has "a strong control, and even grip, over Russia."
The president distanced himself from the conflict's origins, stating, "This is not TRUMP'S WAR (it would never have started if I was President!), it is Biden's and Zelenskyy's WAR." He positioned himself as seeking to end the conflict to save lives, citing what he claimed were 7,118 deaths in the past week alone.
"If NATO does as I say, the WAR will end quickly, and all of those lives will be saved!" Trump wrote in the statement. He warned that without NATO compliance with his proposals, allies would be "wasting my time, and the time, energy, and money of the United States."
Europe's continued dependence on Russian energy
Trump's demands come as Europe maintains significant energy imports from Russia despite three years of sanctions since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. According to recent data, Europe imported €4.48 billion worth of Russian liquefied natural gas in the first half of 2025, up from €3.47 billion in the same period last year. This represents approximately 18% of EU gas imports from non-EU countries.
The largest European importers of Russian fossil fuels in 2025 include Hungary, which imported €485 million worth in July alone, followed by France at €239 million, along with Slovakia, Belgium, and Spain. Notably, Europe accounts for 51% of Russian LNG purchases globally, making it the largest consumer despite ongoing sanctions.
Trump's China tariff strategy
The scale of China's Russian energy imports explains Trump's focus on targeting Beijing with tariffs as a way to pressure Moscow economically. China imported 108.47 million tonnes of Russian oil in 2024, making Russia China's top oil supplier and representing approximately 19.6% of China's total oil imports. China paid approximately $62.6 billion for Russian petroleum and crude oil in 2024, with total fossil fuel imports from Russia valued at $70-75 billion.
Russia has also become China's leading natural gas supplier, accounting for over 25% of China's gas imports. The Power of Siberia pipeline reached full capacity of 38 billion cubic meters annually in December 2024, with plans for expansion and a second pipeline that would add another 50 billion cubic meters annually by 2030.
Secondary sanctions, implementation challenges
The US has already implemented limited secondary sanctions targeting specific countries that continue purchasing Russian oil. In August 2025, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on goods from India specifically related to its Russian oil purchases, and has threatened 50-100% tariffs on China, but has not yet implemented them.
The European Union, by contrast, has never imposed traditional secondary sanctions but is considering them for the first time as part of its 19th sanctions package. European officials are discussing "ancillary measures" similar to US secondary sanctions, targeting third-country entities that facilitate Russian sanctions evasion.
Trump's demands represent an unprecedented request, as NATO has no institutional mechanism for coordinated tariff policy. Each member state maintains an independent trade authority. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has explicitly stated that tariffs are outside NATO's core mandate, explaining that his role is "deeply focused on the defense of NATO territory."
