President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that he believes the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict could be resolved if all NATO countries ceased purchasing oil from Russia. He also proposed imposing tariffs on China ranging from 50% to 100% for its purchases of Russian petroleum. In a post on his social media platform, Trump criticized NATO's commitment to the war, claiming it has been "far less than 100%" and described the continued purchase of Russian oil by some NATO members as "shocking."

Trump addressed NATO members directly, saying, "It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia." As of 2023, Turkey has emerged as the third-largest buyer of Russian oil among NATO members, following China and India. Other NATO countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, are also involved in purchasing Russian oil.

His comments come in the wake of a recent incident where multiple Russian drones entered Polish airspace, prompting Poland to shoot them down. Trump downplayed the severity of this incursion, suggesting it "could have been a mistake."

Despite previously promising to quickly end the war, Trump has not yet taken decisive actions to pressure Russia. Congress is currently urging the president to support a bill aimed at strengthening sanctions against Russia. This follows a meeting last month where Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which did not yield any significant progress toward peace.

The U.S. and its allies are attempting to demonstrate a stronger resolve against Russia. At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting on Friday, acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea emphasized that the U.S. "will defend every inch of NATO territory" and criticized the drone incident as showing "immense disrespect for good-faith U.S. efforts to bring an end to this conflict."

On the same day, the United Kingdom took measures to penalize Russian oil trading, including banning 70 vessels allegedly involved in its transportation. The UK also sanctioned 30 individuals and companies, including those based in China and Turkey, for supplying Russia with various materials.

In his post, Trump argued that a NATO ban on Russian oil, combined with tariffs on China, would significantly aid in "ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR." He suggested that NATO members should impose tariffs on China and consider lifting them if the war, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, comes to an end. Trump stated, "China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia," asserting that substantial tariffs would help "break that grip."

The president has already implemented a 25% import tax on goods from India due to its purchases of Russian energy products, totaling a 50% tariff overall. However, he indicated that negotiations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could resolve these issues.

The potential for increased tariffs on China raises concerns about possible retaliatory measures that could impact both the U.S. and European economies. Earlier this year, Trump imposed new tariffs on Chinese goods totaling 145%, which led to China responding with 125% import taxes on American products. This situation created significant trade tensions, prompting negotiations that reduced tariffs on both sides.

In his post, Trump attributed the responsibility for the war to his predecessor, President Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, notably excluding Putin from his list of those responsible for the conflict. Trump's statements follow a call with finance ministers from the Group of Seven, where U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged a "unified front" to cut off revenues that support Putin's military efforts.