New York/Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said NATO countries should impose 50 to 100 percent tariffs on China and stop buying oil from Russia to help end the Ukraine conflict.
Trump’s post on Truth Social comes a day after the US asked G7 countries to impose tariffs on countries purchasing oil from Russia.
In his post, Trump said he is ready to impose “major sanctions” on Russia when all NATO countries agree and start to do the same thing and stop buying oil from Moscow.
“I am ready to impose major sanctions on Russia when all NATO nations have agreed, and started to do the same thing, and when all NATO nations stop buying oil from Russia,” he said in a social media post.
“This, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” Trump further wrote.
NATO member Turkiye has been the third-largest buyer of Russian oil, after China and India. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Other members of the 32-state alliance involved in purchasing Russian oil include Hungary and Slovakia.
Trump’s letter follows his earlier threats of sanctions on Moscow and secondary sanctions on countries buying its oil, such as top buyers China and India, if no progress is made to end the war in Ukraine.
It also comes at a tense moment after the recent flight of multiple Russian drones into Poland, an escalatory move by Russia as it was entering the airspace of a NATO ally.
Last month, the US president imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing its continued imports of Russian oil, but has not taken similar action against China.
