Trump: Europe Buys Russian Oil, Sanctions Weak

US President Donald Trump has said current sanctions on Russia are not strong enough to stop the war in Ukraine and urged European nations to toughen their measures. He criticised Europe for continuing to buy Russian oil and called

for sanctions that match Washington’s pressure.

“Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don’t want them to buy oil,” Trump told reporters, according to Reuters. “The sanctions they’re putting on are not tough enough. I’m willing to do sanctions, but they’re going to have to toughen them up to match what I’m doing.”

Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that tougher steps may follow. While he has not yet announced fresh sanctions, he signaled that harsher action on banks and oil,

along with new tariffs, remains on the table. “We’re going to have to come down very, very strong,” he said.

The US Treasury has echoed Trump’s stance, urging G7 partners to ramp up pressure to cut Moscow’s revenues. On Saturday, Trump also called on NATO allies to stop buying Russian oil and suggested imposing tariffs of up to 100 per cent on Chinese goods until the Ukraine war ends.

Accusing Beijing of exerting strong influence over Moscow, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ending this deadly, but ridiculous, war.”

Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air shows that Turkey, a NATO member, is the third-largest buyer of Russian oil after China and India, while Hungary and Slovakia are also among NATO states importing energy from Moscow.

Trump has already imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian

goods over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, but has not announced a similar move against China. The US president has also threatened Moscow with further tariffs, though his administration has yet to implement them.

(with inputs from Reuters)