President Donald Trump used his return to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to lash out at both allies and rivals over continued purchases of Russian energy, saying countries buying oil and gas from Moscow are “funding the war against themselves.”
Trump singled out China and India as the “primary funders” of Russia’s war in Ukraine, while mocking NATO members still importing Russian crude and LNG more than three years after the invasion. “Who the hell ever heard of that one?” Trump said. “Even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy, and I wasn’t happy when I found out two weeks ago.”
European imports of Russian pipeline oil have collapsed since 2022, but Hungary and Slovakia continue buying, while France, Belgium, and Spain still import Russian LNG under long-term contracts. Trump widened his criticism this week to include those LNG purchases.
The president threatened a “very strong round of powerful tariffs” on Russia if no peace deal materializes, but stressed the measures would only work if Europe joined in. “You’re much closer to the city,” he told the Assembly. “We have an ocean in between. Europe has to step it up.”
The tariff threat comes as Trump’s own administration tries to smooth tensions with India, one of Russia’s biggest oil buyers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested this week that Washington may adjust the 25% duties it slapped on Indian crude imports, calling India “critical” to U.S. strategy even as it keeps taking Russian barrels.
Trump, meanwhile, kept the heat on Europe. He said he will meet EU leaders in New York this week to demand they stop buying Russian gas and LNG. “Europe has to step it up,” he told the Assembly. “Otherwise, we’re all wasting a lot of time.”
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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