Trump tells NATO allies to halt Russia oil purchases before US sanctions

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euractiv or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States will not impose new sanctions on Russia unless all NATO allies first commit to halting Russian oil imports and implementing equivalent sanctions
• In a message shared on his platform Truth Social, Trump also called on NATO nations to consider imposing 50–100% tariffs on Chinese goods, linking the strategy to efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

🔭 The context: Trump’s statement comes as the EU prepares its next round of sanctions on Russia, amid ongoing pressure to tighten enforcement and plug loopholes in energy trade
• Despite Western embargoes, Russian oil revenues remain robust, partly due to purchases by EU states and transshipments via third countries
• Trump's comments mark a continuation of his transactional approach to alliances, placing conditionality on US foreign policy cooperation

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Calls to end fossil fuel imports from Russia are critical not only to weaken war financing but also to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuel dependency in Europe
• However, political divisions and uneven energy strategies across NATO could hinder coordinated action
• Trump's remarks may further complicate climate diplomacy, especially if new tariffs escalate trade tensions with China—whose clean tech exports are essential to the global energy transition

⏭️ What's next: EU leaders are expected to unveil new sanctions targeting Russian energy and defense sectors in the coming days
• Trump's ultimatum may influence the internal NATO debate, particularly among members still dependent on Russian energy or wary of US unilateralism
• The proposed tariffs on China could also trigger pushback from trade and climate advocates, who warn against mixing geopolitical goals with protectionist measures that risk supply chain disruptions in the clean energy sector

💬 One quote: "I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing." – Donald Trump, via Truth Social

📈 One stat: The EU imported €13.7 billion worth of Russian oil products in 2024, despite sanctions and phased-out commitments, according to Eurostat data

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