US President Donald Trump has said he believes the Russia-Ukraine war would end if all NATO countries stopped buying oil from Russia and placed tariffs on China of 50 percent to 100 percent for its purchases of Russian petroleum.
Trump posted on his social media site on Saturday that NATO’s commitment to winning the war "has been far less than 100%" and the purchase of Russian oil by some members of the alliance is “shocking.”
As if speaking to them, he said, “It greatly weakens your negotiating position and bargaining power over Russia.”
The letter comes at a tense moment in the conflict after the recent flight of multiple Russian drones into Poland’s airspace. Poland shot down the drones. It also comes as Congress is trying to get him behind a bill that toughens sanctions.
Tariffs on China
The president said that NATO members should impose 50 percent to 100 percent tariffs on China and withdraw them if the war that was launched with Russia's 2022 attacks on Ukraine ends.
“China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia," he posted, and powerful tariffs “will break that grip.”
In his post, Trump said responsibility for the war fell on his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He did not include Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump had earlier threatened secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian oil if there is no progress to end the war in Ukraine, that continues since 2022.
He has already imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, citing its continued imports of Russian oil.
The G7 countries and the EU cut trade ties and imposed a price cap on Russian oil, and in response, Russia increased sales of oil to countries such as China and India.
