United States President Donald Trump declared he is prepared to impose “major sanctions” on Russia. Trump in a statement on Truth Social framed as “a letter to all the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations and the world,” laid out his conditions for entering the sanctions conversation.
He asserted that current efforts by NATO to confront Russia have been insufficient. The American leader said he is prepared to impose “major sanctions” on Russia only if all NATO nations first agree to coordinated action, including a full halt to Russian oil imports.
Without naming specific countries, Trump criticized NATO members for continuing to purchase Russian oil, calling it “shocking” and a key factor in weakening the West’s negotiating position with 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. “Anyway, I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when?”
He went further, proposing that NATO impose sweeping tariffs—ranging from 50% to 100%—on China, arguing that this would undercut China’s influence over Russia and pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. Trump suggested that these tariffs be lifted only once the war ends.
Trump speaks on imposing sanctions on Russia
The President framed the conflict as “Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s war,” reiterating his long-held view that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine had he remained in office. He also cited unverifiable casualty figures to argue for immediate de-escalation.
“If NATO does as I say, the war will end quickly, and all of those lives will be saved! If not, you are just wasting my time, and the time, energy, and money of the United States,” he wrote.
Trump’s comments come amid ongoing transatlantic tensions over the scope and enforcement of sanctions on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
While the U.S. and European Union have imposed sweeping measures targeting Russian banks, oligarchs, energy exports, and defense industries, enforcement gaps—particularly in oil and gas trade—remain a sticking point.
Several NATO members, especially in Europe, continue to import Russian fossil fuels either directly or through intermediaries. Though the EU has significantly reduced its dependence on Russian energy since the war began, full alignment on a complete embargo has yet to materialize.
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Trump had on Friday said that his patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin is “running out fast,” days after Russian drones breached Polish airspace in an act of provocation.
Speaking to Fox News, the U.S president said: “It’s sort of running out and running out fast.” Trump has given Putin several deadlines to take steps to end the three-year conflict, but so far has not imposed sanctions or other penalties on Moscow.
His statement comes after NATO announced plans to beef up the defence of Europe’s eastern flank as the U.S. has vowed to defend “every inch” of its ally after Russian drones breached Polish airspace earlier this week.
G7 finance ministers discuss possible sanctions on supporters of Russia’s war
The U.S. joined other NATO countries to express concern about Russian drones entering Poland, accusing Moscow of violating international law and the founding United Nations Charter. At the UN, the United States called the Polish airspace violations “alarming” and vowed to defend “every inch” of NATO territory.
G7 finance ministers had on Friday also discussed possible sanctions and tariffs on countries that they consider to be “enabling” Russia’s war in Ukraine.
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The G7 finance ministers held the meeting to discuss further measures to increase pressure on Russia to end its war against Ukraine, according to a statement released by the Canadian finance ministry.
They “discussed a wide range of possible economic measures to increase pressure on Russia, including further sanctions and trade measures, such as tariffs, on those enabling Russia’s war effort.”
GOP senators ratchet up demands pushing new sanctions on Russia
On Wednesday, U.S. Republican senators heightened their demands for President Trump to put new sanctions on Russia, as the White House has signaled an openness toward a second phase of sanctions against Moscow.
“I think Russia is playing, they’re really playing us like a piano right now,” North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said Wednesday. “He’s gotten everything he wanted; he’s gotten access to the president, he’s getting a red-carpet reception, three weeks later he’s getting a red-carpet reception from Xi Jinping and hanging out with Kim Jong Un,” Tillis said of Putin, adding that Putin’s goal is to “string us along.”
The comments from Tillis, the co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, come after NATO fighter jets shot down multiple Russian drones that violated Polish airspace during an attack on neighboring Ukraine on Wednesday.
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