Macron Leads Security Summit as Trump Pushes for Economic Leverage
On September 4, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump took a firm stance during a high-level virtual meeting of the “Coalition of the Determined”—also known as the “Coalition of the Willing”—urging European leaders to end their reliance on Russian oil, which he claimed is directly financing Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
The meeting, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, centered on security guarantees for Ukraine following a potential peace agreement to end Russia’s war.
A White House spokesperson confirmed that Trump emphasized Europe must halt Russian oil imports, citing that Russia had received €1.1 billion from EU fuel sales in just a year. He also advocated for heightened economic pressure on China, citing its perceived role in providing critical technologies to Russia’s military.
“President Macron and European leaders called President Trump into their ‘Coalition of the Willing’ meeting. President Trump emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war – as Russia received 1.1 billion euros in fuel sales from the EU in one year,” the official said.
Zelenskyy Highlights the Contradiction Amid War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who participated in the discussion alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, echoed this frustration. He noted that Europe’s continued oil purchases undermine collective efforts to weaken Russia’s war machine.
Tensions surfaced over nations like Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to receive Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, drawing criticism amidst escalating aggression. Slovakia and Hungary called on the European Commission to uphold energy security guarantees.
While Trump pressed for an immediate cessation, the European Commission was already advancing legislation to phase out Russian oil and gas imports by January 1, 2028. The urgency of the issue was heightened by Russia’s misuse of energy exports as a geopolitical tool.
Macron’s Security Measures Advance as Trump Turns Up the Heat
Alongside the pressuring rhetoric on energy, Macron continued to lead efforts on Ukraine’s post-war security framework. He announced that 26 countries have committed to deploying troops or military assets—air, sea, or land—to form a reassurance force for Ukraine once peace terms are met. A broader defense package, fully prepared for political approval, includes this initiative.
The simultaneous progression of these parallel tracks—economic pressure through energy restrictions and a military security umbrella—underscores Europe’s growing strategic autonomy. Trump’s remarks served to highlight Europe’s dependence on Russian energy and called for greater collective resolve.
EU’s roadmap to cut Russian energy supplies
This year, the European Commission presented a roadmap in the spring for a complete cessation of Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, as well as minimizing Russian oil imports. Hungary and Slovakia are opposed.
The European Union will completely stop importing Russian gas by the end of 2027, as well as minimize imports of Russian oil, step up the fight against the Russian shadow fleet, and significantly reduce dependence on Russia in the nuclear sector, in particular by limiting the supply of enriched uranium.
This is stated in the roadmap for the REPowerEU plan, presented on May 6 in Strasbourg by European Commissioner Dan Jorgensen.
Ten Member States imported Russian gas in 2024, three Member States still imported Russian oil, and seven Member States imported enriched uranium or uranium services from Russia,” the document states.
For Russian gas, the roadmap foresees that no new contracts with Russian gas suppliers (pipeline and liquefied) will be concluded, and existing spot contracts will be terminated by the end of 2025. This ensures that the EU will cut its remaining Russian gas supplies by a third by the end of this year. All imports of Russian gas will be stopped by the end of 2027.
For Russian oil, which already accounted for around 3% of total EU imports in 2024, new measures are planned to combat the Russian shadow fleet that transports it illegally.
Strategic, Economic, and Political Stakes
- Cutting Off Russia’s Lifeline: Energy exports remain Russia’s economic backbone, especially in wartime. Halting European oil purchases aims to cripple its capacity to wage war.
- Eroding Energy Blackmail: The move counters Russia’s ongoing practice of energy blackmail, where it leverages supply control to coerce European partners.
- Boosting EU Strategic Sovereignty: Making energy independence a reality accelerates the EU’s transition from dependency to resilience—a strategic shift echoed by Trump’s pressure.
- Divisions Within the EU: Countries like Hungary and Slovakia, heavily reliant on Russian oil, continue to resist the phase-out, complicating unified action.
- Signaling U.S.–EU Synergy: Trump’s vocal alignment with phasing out Russian energy sends a strong signal of potential U.S.–EU cooperation despite bilateral tensions.
What comes next?
President Trump’s intervention during the Coalition of the Determined discussions reinforced the call for Europe to end its dependence on Russian oil and to pressure China as part of a broader economic strategy to isolate Moscow and force it to stop its war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, French President Macron continued to forge a proactive, multilateral military framework to guarantee Ukraine’s security—setting the stage for a strategic pivot that melds economic resilience with collective defense.
