Trump Issues Ultimatum To NATO: Ditch Russian Oil And Tariff China Or I Won’t Sanction Russia
President lays out conditions for U.S. sanctions, blaming allies and China for prolonging the conflict.
In a message to NATO nations and the world Saturday, President Donald J. Trump has outlined a conditional path to ending the war in Ukraine, stating he will not impose major new sanctions on Russia until all NATO members agree to do the same and cease all purchases of Russian oil.
In a letter posted to his social media platform, the President criticized what he called NATO’s “far less than 100%” commitment to winning the war, calling the purchase of Russian oil by some members “shocking!”
“It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia,” Trump wrote. “Anyway, I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when?”
Beyond the demand for collective sanctions and a halt to oil purchases, Trump proposed a new measure to accelerate an end to the conflict: a sweeping 50% to 100% tariff on all Chinese goods. He argued that China’s “strong control, and even grip, over Russia” would be broken by these tariffs, which he said should be fully withdrawn once the war is over.
The President reiterated his stance that the war is “Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s WAR,” a conflict that “would never have started if I was President!” He positioned himself as a key figure dedicated to stopping the bloodshed, claiming his plan would save thousands of lives and end the “deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR” quickly.
The letter concluded with a pointed warning: “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.”
The ultimatum comes at a tense moment for the alliance, just days after Russian drones entered Polish airspace. While some European leaders have called the incident a deliberate escalation, Trump has previously suggested it “could have been a mistake.”
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