Washington, September 13: U.S. President Donald Trump has called on NATO members and the European Union to toughen their stance on the Russia-Ukraine war by introducing heavy sanctions against Moscow and imposing steep tariffs on China.
Posting a lengthy statement on Truth Social, Trump said NATO allies are failing to show full commitment to Ukraine and criticised some countries for continuing to import Russian oil. “The ongoing purchase of Russian oil is shocking and undermines your leverage over Moscow,” he wrote.
Trump proposed tariffs ranging from 50% to 100% on Chinese goods, to remain in place until the war is resolved. He argued that such a move would weaken Beijing’s influence over Moscow and help bring the conflict to an end. “China maintains strong control over Russia, and these tariffs would break that hold,” he said.
The President insisted that he is prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia but only if all NATO states join the effort and cut energy trade with Moscow. He added that his plan could hasten the conclusion of what he described as a “deadly but unnecessary war,” while accusing President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy of failing to prevent the crisis.
“This war would never have begun if I had been in office. It is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s war, not mine,” Trump declared. He further warned that the United States should not bear the financial and military burden alone while allies hesitate to match its actions.
Trump’s remarks underline his strategy of linking China directly to the Ukraine conflict, as he pushes NATO and the EU to adopt unified measures targeting both Moscow and Beijing.
