'Europe is buying oil from Russia, I don’t want them to': Trump presses EU to toughen sanctions

US president warns Europe over Russian oil trade, floats China tariffs to end Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump on Sunday once again turned the spotlight on Europe, accusing the European Union of going soft on Russia despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don’t want them to buy oil,” Trump told reporters, insisting that the sanctions currently imposed by European nations are 'not tough enough.'

The Republican leader said Washington is prepared to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow, but only if Europe acts in a way 'commensurate' with the United States. “They’re going to have to toughen up their sanctions,” he added, according to Reuters.

"Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don't want them to buy oil. And the sanctions that they're putting are not tough enough.

And I'm willing to do sanctions, but they're going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I'm doing." Subscribe to OAN LIVE for… pic.twitter.com/kD1fUIcLWY — One America News (@OANN) September 14, 2025

Push for NATO action and tariff threats

On Saturday, Trump had gone further, urging NATO countries to stop purchasing Russian crude altogether. He suggested that the alliance collectively impose 50 percent to 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods until the war in Ukraine ends.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump accused Beijing of propping up Moscow: “I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50 percent to 100 percent tariffs on China, to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ending this deadly, but ridiculous, war.”

Who’s buying Russian oil?

Despite Western sanctions, Russian oil continues to find buyers. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Turkey is the third-largest buyer of Russian crude after China and India. Within NATO, Hungary and Slovakia are also among the key importers.

Trump’s criticism comes at a time when Europe has struggled to fully wean itself off Russian energy, even while pledging solidarity with Ukraine.

Double standards? India penalised, China spared

Trump’s stance also raises questions about consistency. While the US has slapped an additional 25 percent tariff penalty on Indian goods for New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil, Washington has so far refrained from imposing a similar penalty on China, despite Beijing being Russia’s top energy customer.

This selective approach has not gone unnoticed, with analysts pointing to the geopolitical risks of targeting China at a time when US-China trade tensions are already running high.