Even former President Donald Trump has shown an unusual eagerness to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. He urges that NATO countries need to come together in a joined up, planned response to make peace. In a Truth Social post over the weekend, Trump spelled out his full thinking on the situation. He called on NATO member countries to threaten severe sanctions against Russia if they act.
Rather, it has been the Trump administration that repeatedly blustered about sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine. They have taken no real action to address those threats. The former president isn’t finished yet—he is currently working to rally NATO allies to increase the pressure on Russia. He feels that forming a coalition and approaching the issue together will be more successful in bringing peace to the region.
His reluctance to impose sanctions may be based on a hope that he can broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. In his latest shaming of NATO countries, Trump specifically singled out Hungary and Slovakia. He made the case that continuing their day-to-day imports of Russian fossil fuels undermines NATO’s collective might.
“I am ready to do major Sanctions on [Russia],” – Donald Trump
The former president’s strategy would stop Russia from buying oil in Moscow and replace all Russian gas. He believes that reliance on Russian energy resources “greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia.” His administration, driven by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, is taking the lead and urging Hungary and Slovakia to cease importing Russian gas. This viewpoint is a natural fit for that effort.
Just earlier this month, Trump announced he was ready to advance to a second stage of sanctioning Russia. He insists that any such movements should be based on NATO countries making firm leaps. Beyond specifics about school children, he sees these coordinated efforts as necessary in confronting the global geopolitical fallout from this ongoing conflict.
In addition to his comments on sanctions, Trump expressed concern over the influence of China in relation to Russia, stating, “China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip.” This statement is indicative of his broader belief that economic measures can and should be used to change the face of international relations.
U.S. energy chief Chris Wright described the outcome “a colossal train wreck.” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine underlined the imperative for NATO countries to reexamine their energy dependence. The continued European dependence on Russian fossil fuels makes it difficult to determine a collective response to the war.