Washington, September 13, 2025: U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he was prepared to impose tougher sanctions on Russia but warned it would only work if NATO allies agreed to stop purchasing Russian fuel, which he argued could hasten an end to the Ukraine war.
“If NATO acts as I say, the war in Ukraine will be over shortly. If not, then my time and the money of the American people will be wasted,” Trump said in a statement, urging partners to act in concert.
The president also linked China’s role to the conflict, proposing conditional tariffs of 50–100% on Chinese goods to weaken Beijing’s leverage over Moscow. He added the tariffs would be lifted once the war ended.
Calling the conflict “not America’s war,” Trump accused former President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of escalating it, while insisting his administration was working to “save the lives of both Ukrainians and Russians.”
The remarks came as the U.S. Treasury sanctioned 23 Chinese companies accused of aiding Russia and urged G7 and EU allies to impose tariffs on countries still buying Russian oil — with India and China singled out.
At a G7 finance ministers’ meeting, Treasury Secretary Scott Bassant pushed for a coordinated approach, stressing that “only a united strategy can dismantle President Putin’s war machine.” Ministers also advanced talks on using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s defense.
The latest steps highlight Trump’s push to pressure both Russia and its partners economically, with NATO unity seen as central to the strategy.
