Trump calls out China, Nato over Russian oil

US President Donald Trump called on Nato countries to stop purchasing Russian oil and coordinate “major sanctions” against Moscow in a letter that he shared on Saturday, a significant shift from his focus on penalising India alone for energy purchases that New Delhi has long argued were unfairly targeted.

- Shashank Mattoo

“I am ready to do 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,” Trump wrote in what he described as “A LETTER SENT BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP TO ALL NATO NATIONS AND, THE WORLD” over the Ukraine conflict and efforts to stop it.

The president criticised Nato allies directly, stating: “NATO'S commitment to WIN has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian Oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia.”

The broadened focus appears to validate India’s longstanding criticism that the 25% punitive tariffs (in addition to 25% slapped previously) imposed by the Trump administration were unjustified given that multiple countries, including NATO allies, continue purchasing Russian energy.

Indian officials have repeatedly argued that targeting New Delhi while larger purchasers like China and European nations escaped similar penalties constituted uneven enforcement.

Trump acknowledged on Friday that the India tariffs had caused a “rift” between New Delhi and Washington, calling the penalty a “big deal” that was "not an easy thing to do."