Ready to impose sanctions on Russia, but EU needs to toughen up their sanctions: Trump

United States President Donald Trump has said that he is willing to impose more sanctions on Russia, but Europe has to act in a way that is commensurate with what Washington is doing.

While speaking to the media, Trump asserted, “Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don’t want them to buy oil, and the sanctions that they’re putting on are not tough enough. I’m willing to do sanctions, but they’re going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I’m doing.”

TRUMP PRESSES EU TO SANCTION RUSSIA

On Saturday, the Republican leader pressed Nato countries to stop buying oil from Russia and impose sanctions on it, while proposing to impose 50-100 per cent tariffs on China till the Ukraine war ends.

The US president further proposed that Nato impose steep tariffs on China to weaken its influence over Moscow.

Taking to Truth Social, the Republican leader said, “I believe that this, plus Nato, as a group, placing 50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ending this deadly, but ridiculous, war. China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful tariffs will break that grip.”

US CALLS ON G7, EU TO IMPOSE TARIFFS ON INDIA, CHINA

Washington has also urged its Group of Seven (G7) partners to impose tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, singling out India and China as key enablers of Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.

During a call with G7 finance ministers, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer pressed allies to match Washington’s tariff measures, warning that only a unified approach cutting off Russia’s energy revenues could bring an end to the war.

“Only with a unified effort that cuts off the revenues funding Putin’s war machine at the source will we be able to apply sufficient economic pressure to end the senseless killing,” Bessent and Greer said in a joint statement after the meeting.

Ottawa, which currently holds the G7 presidency, emphasised that member states remained united in tightening pressure on Moscow while safeguarding Ukraine’s long-term economic recovery.

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