US President Donald Trump has urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop buying oil from Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. This request was made during their meeting at the White House on Thursday, where they discussed various issues including regional security and energy cooperation.

Trump expressed his concerns about Russia's actions in Ukraine, describing them as a "rampage" and highlighting the significant loss of life. He stated, "I would like him to stop buying any oil from Russia, as Russia continues its rampage in Ukraine, and they have been fighting. They have lost millions of lives already, and for what, disgraceful." He further criticized the state of the Russian economy, calling it "terrible" and accused President Vladimir Putin of unnecessarily prolonging the conflict.

While Erdogan did not directly address Trump's comments on Russian oil, he reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening ties between Turkey and the United States. Trump noted that Erdogan could play a crucial role in influencing the situation, saying, "They really respect Erdogan. I do, and I think he could have a big influence, if he wants to. Right now, he's very neutral. He likes being neutral. But he's somebody that, if he got involved, the best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia."

Trump also expressed frustration over Russia's military campaign, stating that despite heavy bombardments, they had gained "almost no land" and referred to them as a "paper tiger." He emphasized the need for allied nations to cut economic dependencies on Russia to weaken Putin's position.