US wants Europe to stop buying Russian oil
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is pressuring European nations to stop buying Russian oil and to join a new wave of sanctions targeting countries that continue to do so, a senior White House official told The Post on Tuesday.
Despite reducing their reliance on Russian energy since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several European countries still import significant volumes of fossil fuels from Russia. A February report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that European nations purchased approximately $25.5 billion worth of Russian fossil fuels in 2024.
By contrast, total European financial aid to Ukraine during the same period amounted to roughly $21.7 billion — a gap that highlights continued economic ties with Moscow, which critics argue help fund Russia’s war efforts.
While China, India, and Turkey collectively accounted for about 75% of all Russian fossil fuel purchases last year, totaling $187.3 billion, the U.S. has completely halted Russian oil imports.
President Trump is now reconsidering the long-discussed sanctions plan amid stalled peace talks and ongoing Russian aggression. But any meaningful action, the official emphasized, requires European cooperation.
“The U.S. wants Europe to join in sanctions with Washington and to stop purchasing Russian oil,” the senior official said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, told The Post he expects European nations to support the plan if the U.S. moves forward. “I understand it’s necessary [for the U.S.] to receive an additional signal from Europe that if America enacts sanctions, they will join and stop buying Russian oil,” Yermak said. He added that he will discuss the issue with European leaders this week.
The renewed push from Washington comes after Trump expressed frustration over the failure of recent peace talks. “I’m very disappointed in President Putin,” Trump said Tuesday in an interview with CNN’s Scott Jennings, referencing their Alaska summit. “He continues to bomb Kyiv and won’t meet with President Zelensky. We’ll be doing something that will help people live.”
“It’s not just about Ukraine — it’s about stopping the loss of life,” Trump added. “Seven thousand people, mostly soldiers, are dying every week. If I can help stop that, I have an obligation to do it.”
The U.S. has already imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports, citing in part India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Washington is also urging Europe to commit to long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, should the war end.
“The U.S. wants to see Europe step up in its support for Ukraine’s security and postwar recovery,” the senior official said, without providing specifics.
American and European negotiators have been working for weeks on a framework for such guarantees — part of a broader peace effort aimed at preventing future Russian aggression. Those talks are expected to continue this week, Yermak confirmed.
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