Image Credentials: Image Title: Trump Calls on NATO Allies to Halt Russian Oil Purchases and Impose Tariffs on China Source: (Sora.ChatGpt) Date: September 2025. Attribution: Created using AI-generated imagery (Sora.ChatGpt), this does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged all NATO countries to stop buying Russian oil and impose tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on China until the Ukraine war ends. He argued that cutting Moscow’s energy revenues and targeting Beijing’s ties with Russia would force an end to the conflict.
Trump’s Proposal
Trump used his social media platform to issue the call, accusing NATO members of undermining the alliance’s position by continuing to purchase Russian oil. He wrote that NATO’s “commitment to winning the war has been far less than 100 percent” and that the ongoing trade with Russia was “shocking.” Addressing allies directly, he added, “It greatly weakens your negotiating position and bargaining power over Russia.”
Among NATO members, Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia continue to import Russian crude. Turkey has become the third-largest buyer of Russian oil since 2023, behind only China and India, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Trump proposed that NATO impose tariffs of 50 to 100 percent on China for its purchases of Russian petroleum, with the duties lifted once the war ends. He claimed that such measures would not only cut the Kremlin’s revenue but also “break China’s grip over Russia.”
🚨JUST IN:
🇺🇸🌍 Trump urges all NATO nations to stop buying Russian oil and impose massive tariffs on China.He says coordinated sanctions could end the🇷🇺 Russia⚡Ukraine🇺🇦 war quickly, save lives, and weaken China’s influence over Russia.
He warns that without unified… pic.twitter.com/x3EUDVfGxJ
— WAR (@warsurveillance) September 13, 2025
Energy Revenues and Sanctions
Russia’s oil and gas exports remain the Kremlin’s main source of revenue to finance its war effort. Western sanctions have targeted these exports, yet aggressive restrictions risk raising global oil prices. Higher prices could strain NATO economies and test public support for sanctions, a concern frequently raised by European leaders.
Trump has already increased tariffs on India, raising duties on its exports to 50 percent in an attempt to pressure New Delhi into halting purchases of discounted Russian crude. The move has strained trade negotiations between the two countries. By contrast, Trump has not yet imposed additional tariffs on China, citing a fragile trade truce with Beijing.
Escalating Tensions with Russia
Trump’s proposal comes days after Poland shot down multiple Russian drones that entered its airspace. NATO described the incursion as serious, though Trump suggested it “could have been a mistake,” playing down its severity. The incident triggered an emergency UN Security Council session, where acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea warned that the United States would “defend every inch of NATO territory” and accused Russia of showing “immense disrespect” for diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Britain also announced new penalties on Russian oil trading on Friday, banning 70 vessels linked to its transport and sanctioning 30 companies and individuals, including firms in China and Turkey accused of supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, and explosives.
Political and Diplomatic Context
Trump’s critics have accused him of being hesitant to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite campaign promises to quickly end the war. His recent summit with Putin in Alaska failed to produce progress toward peace, and Congress is pushing him to support stronger sanctions.
Meanwhile, finance ministers from the Group of Seven held a call on Friday, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging their counterparts to adopt a “unified front” to cut off “the revenues funding Putin’s war machine.”
Looking Ahead
Trump insisted that a NATO-wide oil ban and high tariffs on China would “be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR.” The proposal, however, highlights deep divisions within NATO over how far to go in curbing Russian energy revenues and balancing the risks of economic disruption.
With NATO already reinforcing its eastern border after recent drone incursions, Trump’s latest call raises the stakes for alliance unity as it seeks to contain Russia and bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine.