Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to NATO allies, warning that the United States will only impose sweeping new sanctions on Russia if all member states agree to do the same and immediately halt purchases of Russian oil.
In a letter sent to NATO leaders on Saturday — which Trump also quoted in a social media post — the president demanded a unified front against Moscow.
“I am ready to do major sanctions on Russia when all NATO nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump wrote. He criticized what he called NATO’s lack of commitment, adding that continued oil purchases from Moscow “greatly weaken your negotiating position and bargaining power over Russia.”
Beyond sanctions, Trump urged NATO allies to impose significant tariffs on China, suggesting a coordinated economic campaign would help force an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% tariffs on China — to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended — will also be of great help in ending this deadly, but ridiculous, war,” he wrote. Trump claimed the conflict could end “quickly” if NATO embraced the measures.
The European Union has already banned maritime imports of Russian crude oil and refined products, but several countries continue importing Russian fossil fuels and liquefied natural gas. Data from Eurostat shows European oil imports from Russia plunged from €14.06 billion in the first quarter of 2021 to €1.48 billion in early 2025.
However, Russia remains a significant supplier of liquefied natural gas, and Turkey — a NATO member but not part of the EU — continues to purchase large volumes of Russian oil, making Trump’s demand especially challenging for the alliance.
Trump has also escalated trade tensions with India, recently doubling tariffs to 50% on the country, which remains a major buyer of Russian oil. The move sparked a diplomatic rift, with New Delhi denouncing the tariffs as “unjustified.” Despite Trump pressing European officials earlier this week to consider tariffs on both China and India, his NATO letter made no mention of India.
The omission comes as the EU nears completion of a trade deal with India, making coordinated tariffs unlikely. European officials, wary of entering a trade war with Beijing or New Delhi, signaled after talks with Trump that broad new tariffs were improbable.
Momentum Stalls Ahead of Putin Meeting
Trump’s demands arrive as diplomatic momentum to end the war has slowed following his August 15 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Analysts warn the ultimatum could prolong the conflict by delaying consensus among allies, potentially giving Moscow more time to consolidate battlefield gains.
For now, it remains uncertain whether NATO nations will align with Trump’s call. Such a coordinated sanctions regime would mark a dramatic departure from existing policies — and test the alliance’s unity at a critical moment in the war.
