President Donald Trump has a bold idea to wrap up the Russia-Ukraine mess: get NATO to ditch Russian oil and slap hefty tariffs on China for snapping it up.
Newsmax reported that Trump's plan, shared on his social media, calls for all NATO nations to halt Russian oil buys while imposing 50% to 100% tariffs on China over its role as the top purchaser, aiming to squeeze Russia's war funds and loosen Beijing's hold on Moscow.
Trump didn't mince words, calling NATO's war effort "far less than 100%" committed—a fair point when allies keep funding the foe through energy deals.
It's "shocking," Trump noted, that some alliance members still buy from Russia, undermining their own stance against the invasion.
Turkey ranks as the third-biggest buyer of Russian oil since last year, trailing only China and India, per energy research data. Hungary and Slovakia, fellow NATO states, also continue these purchases, raising eyebrows about the bloc's unity.
This proposal follows Russian drones straying into Poland's airspace, a risky escalation against a NATO ally. Poland swiftly downed the intruders, showing resolve where others might waver.
Trump suggested it "could have been a mistake," a pragmatic take that avoids knee-jerk alarmism in tense times.
As a candidate, Trump vowed to end the war fast, yet critics say he's hesitant to push Russian President Vladimir Putin hard enough.
Congress is pressing for tougher sanctions via a new bill, especially after Trump's recent Alaska meeting with Putin yielded no breakthroughs.
Trump insists a full NATO oil ban, coupled with those China tariffs, would "be of great help" in halting this drawn-out conflict—a clever strategy to hit where it hurts without endless military aid.
Trump explained that "China has a strong control" over Russia through oil deals, but "powerful tariffs" could snap that link. He urged withdrawing the tariffs once the war, sparked by Russia's 2022 push into Ukraine, concludes—smart incentives over empty threats.
The U.S. already hit India with a 25% import tax for similar Russian energy buys, setting a precedent for this approach. Trump pinned blame on his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the strife.
Notably, he skipped mentioning Putin, who ordered the invasion, focusing instead on Western missteps—a reminder that accountability starts at home.
This social media push echoes a Group of Seven finance ministers' call, where U.S. officials urged a "unified front" to starve "Putin's war machine" of cash.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led that discussion, stressing coordinated action among democracies.
Such moves could realign global trade, pressuring holdouts to choose sides wisely. Trump's vision prioritizes economic muscle over endless entanglements, a refreshing conservative tack in a world weary of proxy fights.
With 32 NATO members, enforcing an oil ban won't be simple, especially for those reliant on cheap Russian supplies.
Yet Trump's critique highlights how these buys "greatly weakens your negotiating position," a witty jab at allies talking tough while paying up.
Ending the "deadly, but ridiculous, war" demands bold steps, and this plan offers a path without more taxpayer dollars vanishing into the fray. By targeting revenues, the U.S. and allies could force a rethink in Moscow without escalating risks.
Trump's reluctance to confront Putin directly draws flak, but his economic focus might prove the shrewder play. In a landscape cluttered with progressive calls for unchecked spending, this conservative blueprint emphasizes leverage and accountability— a thoughtful nudge toward real resolution.
