President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to NATO allies in a letter Saturday, saying the US will issue “major” sanctions on Russia only when they agree to do the same and stop buying oil from Russia.
Meeting Trump’s demands would mark a major shift among the alliance, and there are major questions as to whether there would be collective interest in taking these steps.
“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,” he said in a post to social media, quoting what he said was a letter sent to his NATO counterparts.
He continued, “As you know, NATO’S commitment to WIN has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian Oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia. Anyway, I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when?”
The president also called on NATO countries to significantly ramp up tariffs on China in a show of force.
“I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” he said.
Trump added that Russia’s war in Ukraine would end “quickly” if those steps were taken.
CNN has reported that the European Union imposed a ban on maritime Russian oil imports and refined oil products like diesel, but many countries continue to import Russian fossil fuels and liquefied natural gas.
The president has repeatedly previewed the possibility of additional sanctions on Russia, telling Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” on Friday he’s considering “hitting very hard with sanctions to banks and having to do with oil and tariffs also.”
He has already doubled tariffs to 50% on India, which purchases oil from Russia, and acknowledged Friday the move “caused a rift” with the country. India has argued that it’s being unfairly targeted with the tariff increase, calling it “unjustified” given that other nations also do business with Moscow.
Garment workers sort clothing material for dresses at an apparel manufacturing unit in Bengaluru, India, on August 25, 2025. US President Donald Trump has threatened to double import duties on India from 25% to 50% by August 27 to punish New Delhi for buying oil from Russia, saying the purchases help Moscow fund its invasion of Ukraine. – Idrees Mohammed/AFP/Getty Images
It remains unclear whether NATO countries will take these steps, which would mark a dramatic departure from their existing tariff policies.
Earlier this week when the president spoke with a European delegation from the EU, he pushed them to put 50-100% tariffs on both China and India, according to people familiar with the conversation. But notably, Trump’s missive to his NATO counterparts on Saturday did not mention India. The EU is in final stages of negotiating a trade deal with India, so it was unlikely they would go along with that.
Russia was the largest supplier of petroleum to the EU prior to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The EU has since imposed a ban on maritime Russian oil imports, as well as refined oil products, like diesel. As a result, oil imports to Europe fell to $1.72 billion (1.48 billion euros) for the first quarter of 2025, down from $16.4 billion (14.06 billion euros) in the same quarter of 2021, according to the most recent data from Eurostat.
The EU has slightly reduced Russia’s market share of liquefied natural gas imports since 2021 – from 22% down to 19% in 2025 – while also greatly increasing the US market share.
And the bloc – which has been the Americans’ partner in sanctions against Russia – imported $41.9 billion (36 billion euros) of goods from Russia in 2024, data from the EU’s statistics agency shows.
European officials said last week after the Trump meeting that new tariffs on China or India were unlikely, since that’s not how they approach the use of tariffs and the Europeans have generally been more cautious in trade wars, in particular with China.
By issuing his Russian oil ultimatum to NATO instead of the EU, Trump is including Turkey, which is the third largest purchaser of Russian oil after China and India, in those demands. The EU has largely cut off oil purchases, with exceptions for Hungary and Slovakia, but Turkey is still a customer, underscoring the steep demands.
Momentum to end the war around Trump’s August 15 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska has largely stalled and Trump’s latest demands risk prolonging the conflict even further. Time is a valuable commodity for Putin, giving Russia the ability to make more gains on the battlefield and shore up control over occupied areas.
This article has been updated with additional information.
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