Speaking before the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump once again lashed out at European countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. Trump stated that by buying energy resources from Moscow, Europe is “financing a war against itself” and undermining efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump reiterated his long-standing claim that Russia’s full-scale invasion “would not have started if he had been president” and insisted that depriving Russia of energy revenues is a crucial step toward forcing the Kremlin to negotiate peace.
“China and India are the main financiers of this ongoing war because they continue to buy Russian oil. But what is inexcusable is that even some NATO countries have not yet abandoned Russian energy resources… They are financing a war against themselves,” Trump said.
Trump announced that the United States is prepared to impose “very strong, powerful tariffs” on Russia if it refuses to negotiate to end the war. But, he stressed, these measures will only be effective if European allies take the same steps.
“For those tariffs to be effective, European countries must join us in taking identical measures,” the president stated, underscoring that Europe, not the US, is geographically closest to the Russian threat.
“They cannot do what they are doing. They are buying oil and gas from Russia while fighting Russia. They must immediately stop any purchases of energy resources from Russia. Otherwise, we will lose a lot of time,” Trump warned.
The US leader added that he plans to press European counterparts on this issue during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Hungary, which is known for Kremlin-friendly stances and which remains heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas, has already signaled that it will not comply. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told The Guardian that while he “understands” Trump’s approach, Hungary cannot secure its energy needs without Russian supplies.
“We cannot ensure a secure supply to our country without Russian oil or gas,” Szijjártó said, adding that Western European leaders were “fanatics” with whom “it is absolutely impossible to have a rational dialogue.”
Simultaneously, Szijjártó emphasized the significant improvement in relations with Washington under Trump, referring to Hungary as the only European government that wished for his victory. He confirmed he had recently discussed Trump’s “peace efforts” and energy issues with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump’s remarks underline growing pressure on NATO allies to align with Washington’s tough stance on Russia’s energy sector. The US president is making European energy dependency a test of transatlantic unity and a prerequisite for broader anti-Russian sanctions coordination.
But with countries like Hungary openly defying the demand and others still tied to long-term Russian contracts, the EU remains divided. This division risks weakening Western efforts to tighten Moscow’s financial stranglehold and could give the Kremlin more room to maneuver in prolonging its war against Ukraine.
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