Journalism of Courage
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he is prepared to impose sweeping sanctions on Russia but only if NATO allies act in unison by halting purchases of Russian oil and introducing their own penalties.
In a letter sent to all NATO nations, the US president urged collective action against both Russia and China as the Ukraine war drags on. He warned that some members’ continued imports of Russian oil had “greatly weakened” the alliance’s leverage.
“I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when,” Trump wrote, pointing that sanctions must be applied together to be effective.
Beyond Russia, he proposed that NATO impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on Chinese goods until the war ends, arguing that such steps would loosen Beijing’s “strong grip” on Moscow.
Trump also used the message to attack his political rivals, insisting the conflict “would never have started if I was president”. He termed the war as “Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s war,” while presenting himself as seeking to end it and “save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives.”
Trump also warned allies that without coordinated action, “you are just wasting my time, and the time, energy, and money of the United States.”
