Trump calls for tougher NATO sanctions; criticises Europe’s Russia oil purchases

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump called on NATO and European nations to take stronger action against Russia, particularly criticising Europe for continuing to buy oil from Moscow.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “They’re not doing the job. NATO has to get together, Europe has to get together. Europe is my friend, but Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don’t want them to buy oil. And the sanctions that they’re putting on are not tough enough. And I’m willing to do sanctions, but they’re going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I’m doing”.

“Just to clarify, you wouldn’t move ahead until NATO moves ahead. Well, I’m ready to move ahead, but they have to do it. But right now they’re talking and they’re not doing. Look, they’re buying oil from Russia. We’re not buying oil from Russia. They’re buying a lot of oil from Russia. That’s not the deal”, he added.

‘They’re buying a lot of oil from Russia – that’s not the deal.’

US President Donald Trump tells Europe and NATO to stop buying oil from Russia and ‘toughen up their sanctions’. pic.twitter.com/jQ84AKXsyI

— GB News (@GBNEWS) September 14, 2025

He also criticised European nations for continuing to import liquefied natural gas from Russia. “It’s not the deal, though. The deal is they’re not supposed whether it’s natural gas or whether it’s cigarettes, I don’t care. They’re not supposed to be buying from Russia,” he added.

When asked about holding a summit to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, he affirmed, “Whether you call it a summit or just a get together, doesn’t matter, but I’ll probably have to get they to hate each other so much they almost can’t talk. They’re incapable of talking to each other.”

Recently, Trump wrote a letter to NATO nations, stating, “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.”

Further, Trump proposed that NATO impose tariffs of 50 per cent to 100 per cent on China. “I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50 per cent to 100 per cent TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” Trump wrote. “China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip.”

Trump also slammed the previous administration, saying, “This is not TRUMP’S WAR (it would never have started if I were President!), it is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s WAR. I am only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives (7,118 lives lost last week, alone. CRAZY!).” (ANI)