Washington, Sept 5: US President Donald Trump on Thursday told a meeting of world leaders that Europe must stop buying Russian oil and that more economic pressure should be applied on China to help end the Russia-Ukraine war.
A White House official told CNN that the US administration has urged its allies to take a more active role in halting the conflict.
Trump made the remarks during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders in a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting. The group is made up of Ukraine’s allies working to end the war and ensure Kyiv’s future security against potential Russian attacks.
After the call, French President Emmanuel Macron said that 26 countries had pledged to contribute troops to a possible peacekeeping force if a ceasefire deal is not finalized. Still, he noted that US security guarantees remain key to giving credibility to European efforts.
Macron said strengthening Ukraine’s military and deploying European troops would not be enough unless the US provides the third pillar of security guarantees. He stressed that Washington’s support will ultimately define the scope of these commitments.
These developments highlight both the complexity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the growing pressure on Trump to take a harder line against Moscow, reports said.
According to a White House official, Macron and European leaders had invited Trump to the coalition meeting, where he emphasized that Europe’s purchase of Russian oil effectively funds the war and must be stopped. The European Union is estimated to have paid Russia 1.1 billion euros for fuel.
Trump also urged that economic pressure be extended to China, saying European leaders are indirectly aiding Moscow’s war.
The official added that Trump did not clarify what kind of security guarantees the US would be willing to provide Ukraine if an agreement with Moscow is reached.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said discussions are ongoing about strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses and introducing new defense systems. He stressed that pressure must also be maintained on all countries that continue trading with Russia.
“Russia’s economy is under pressure, and so are all countries that trade with it,” Zelenskyy said. “We will keep pushing. A second round of sanctions and special trade tariffs could help.”
People’s News Monitoring Service
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