U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, September 13th, that the U.S. is ready to impose new energy sanctions on Russia, but only if all NATO allies stop buying Russian oil and adopt comparable measures.
In a social media post, he stated:”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”
The U.S. has recently intensified pressure on NATO members to tighten energy sanctions in a bid to curtail Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. Despite Trump’s repeated warnings, he has faced criticism for failing to enforce decisive measures to end the conflict.
Russia relies heavily on revenue from oil and gas exports to fund its military operations, making energy a central target for Western sanctions. Analysts warn that aggressive restrictions could spike global oil prices, potentially burdening Western economies and eroding public support.
Since 2023, Turkey has been the third-largest importer of Russian oil after China and India, with Hungary and Slovakia among NATO members also purchasing Russian crude, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
During the weekend at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, Trump also suggested NATO consider tariffs of 50 to100% on Chinese imports to reduce Beijing’s economic leverage over Moscow. Additionally, the U.S. has already applied extra tariffs on Indian imports to pressure New Delhi to halt purchases of discounted Russian oil.
Rebeka Kis is a fifth-year law student at the University of Pécs. Her main interests are politics and history, with experience in the EU’s day-to-day activities gained as an intern with the Foundation for a Civic Hungary at the European Parliament.
