Letter is a firm response to the pressure that has been applied to the US president by its European allies
VICTOR LACOMBE
SAO PAULO, SP (Folhapress) – Days after Poland’s unprecedented response to the invasion of its Russian drones airspace, US President Donald Trump released an open letter to NATO leaders, conditioning the application of new sanctions against Russia at the end of Moscow oil buying by Washington Military Alliance countries.
“I am ready for heavy sanctions to Russia when all NATO nations agreed and start doing the same and when all NATO countries stop buying oil from Russia,” the Republican says in the letter, partially in capital letters, published on his social network. “As you know, NATO’s commitment to victory has been much less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian oil is shocking!”
The letter is a firm response to the pressure that has been applied to the US president by its European allies after the incident in Poland last Tuesday, when Warsaw slaughtered Moscow drones in the midst of a mega-attack from Russia against Ukraine, invaded by
Vladimir Putin in 2022. The episode increased the tension on the continent and led the Polish government to invoke article 4 of NATO, which provides active consultations among its members when there are violations of sovereignty of one of the alliance members.
“That [a compra de petróleo] greatly weakens our position in negotiations, and our bargaining power with Russia. Anyway, I’m ready to start when you are. Just say when? ”Trump continues in the message.“ I believe this, besides the imposition of tariffs against China from 50% to 100% throughout NATO, which would be taken after the war between Russia and Ukraine end, will also be of great help to end this mortal, but ridiculous war. ”
The threat of secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil, especially India and China, has been repeatedly done by Trump in recent weeks. Brazil, which also has an important business relationship with Russia, especially in importing fertilizers and diesel, can be affected by the measure – depending on the scope it takes, which is not yet clear.
“China has strong control, even dominance, over Russia, and these powerful tariffs will break this dominance. This is not the Trump war (it would not have started if I were president!), It is the war of [Joe] Biden E. [Volodimir] Zelenski, ”wrote the US President, returning to blame the Ukrainian leader for the conflict. Trump did not mention Putin in the message.
The Republican ends the letter with a kind of threat of removing Washington’s support from Kiev and Europe. “If NATO does what I say, the war will end quickly, saving many lives! Otherwise, you are just wasting my time, and the time, energy and money of the United States.”
Newsletter out there receives a weekly selection in your email with the most important thing happened in the world *** Trump’s complaint is not totally unfounded. According to the Clean Energy and Air Research Center (Crea), Think Tank based in Finland, only European Union countries bought almost EUR 22 billion (about R $ 138 billion) in Russian fuel in 2024 -Moscow’s main liquefied natural gas importers are France and Belgium, which resell the input for the rest of the block.
By way of comparison, the value is almost 30% of all Petrobras revenue in 2024 – the Brazilian state of oil, one of the largest in the world, raised $ 490 billion last year.
European countries also buy Russian oil indirectly by importing the refined product of Türkiye and India, according to April Crea. The research center states that the amount exceeded the expense of military aid to Ukraine by the block in 2024, which was EUR 18.7 billion (R $ 117 BI).
In all, the Putin government raised EUR 242 billion (R $ 1.5 trillion) with sale of fossil fuels in 2024, the third year of the Ukraine War. The main buyers are China, India and Turkey, a member of NATO that was responsible for 6% of all Moscow oil exports from December 2022 to June 2025.
This Saturday’s Trump letter should be received with concern in the European capitals. After the incident in Poland, the US president first suggested that the allies’ reaction was exaggerated, then bought the version of Russia that it was an accident-saying that the foray of drones in Polish airspace “seems to have been a mistake”-and finally, on Friday (12), he again said that his patience with Putin was ending.
In an interview with Fox News, however, Trump said something incomprehensible when asked about the subject. “I will not defend anyone except Poland. They [drones] They were knocked down and fell into an area, but you shouldn’t be close to Poland anyway. ”
Then the US signed with 42 countries a statement “expressing concern” with the incident and saying that the war in Ukraine disrespects international conventions. The document was presented to the UN Security Council.
