In a major policy announcement delivered via his Truth Social website, President Donald Trump has dictated the specific terms under which his administration would impose further sanctions on Russia. The non-negotiable condition is a complete and total boycott of Russian oil by every member of the NATO alliance.
Trump’s post laid out a transactional foreign policy approach, tying U.S. action directly to the actions of its European and North American partners. He stated his readiness to move forward with severe sanctions but only after NATO demonstrates absolute unity by cutting off all oil revenue to Russia. He criticized the current alliance strategy, implying that the continued purchase of Russian energy by some members renders the collective effort ineffective.
The President also took aim at China, urging the transatlantic alliance to use its collective economic might against Beijing. He proposed that NATO should impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on Chinese products to penalize the nation for its robust trade with Russia. This would be a remarkable expansion of NATO’s traditional military and political mission into the realm of coordinated global trade warfare.
The timing of Trump’s post is significant, following recent provocations such as Russian drones entering Polish airspace, which has put NATO on high alert. While NATO responds with military reinforcement, Trump is pushing for an economic knockout blow, arguing his plan is the fastest way to end the “deadly” conflict.