- The EU plans to phase out Russian energy imports in full by 2028.
- Most European states ended crude and fuel imports in 2022–23.
- Trump calls for economic pressure on China over its ties to Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump reached out to European leaders on Thursday, urging them to stop buying Russian oil, which he claims is fueling Moscow’s war against Ukraine, as reported by a White House official. These remarks were made during a period of sluggish diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, reports Reuters.
Call with Coalition of the Willing
Trump participated in a call with the “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of countries led by French President Emmanuel Macron, to discuss security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a peace agreement with Russia.
“President Macron and European leaders called President Trump into their ‘Coalition of the Willing’ meeting. President Trump emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war – as Russia received 1.1 billion euros in fuel sales from the EU in one year,” the official said.
EU Moves to Phase Out Russian Energy
The European Commission has proposed eliminating EU imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028. Most European nations halted their imports of Russian crude in 2022 and Russian fuel in 2023. It remains uncertain whether Trump was referring to Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to import crude oil, or to fuel derived from Russian oil that is refined in third countries, such as India.
Trump’s Call for Pressure on China
Trump also urged European leaders to increase economic pressure on Beijing. Trump also said in the call that “European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official said.
Frustration Over Ukraine War
Reuters was the first to break the news about Trump’s comments. The president has expressed his frustration over his inability to stop the fighting in Ukraine, especially after he confidently predicted he could wrap up the war quickly when he took office last January.
While Trump hasn’t imposed any new sanctions on Russia or China, which is a major buyer of Russian oil, he has raised tariffs on U.S. imports from India, another significant consumer of Russian energy. He brushed off the recent talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting that the two leaders might be plotting against the U.S.
U.S. Burden Sharing Concerns
The White House official said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were among the leaders on the call. “The ‘Coalition of the Willing’ meeting was on security guarantees for Ukraine. President Trump questioned their seriousness while they continue to fuel Russia’s economy and war. The president made clear that this is not his war, and the Europeans must step up as well,” the official said.
Security Guarantees and Defence Burden
There weren’t any additional details shared about the discussions on security guarantees, but Trump has previously shown support for Ukraine without making any concrete commitments. Macron mentioned on Thursday that 26 nations have agreed to provide Ukraine with the postwar backing through an international force on land, sea, and air.
Possible Sanctions on Russian Oil Buyers
Trump has indicated that he might impose sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia. However, when he announced broad tariffs on numerous countries back in April, he refrained from directly targeting Moscow with those tariffs.
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free Click here to Subscribe!
Source: Reuters
