Trump Pressures Turkey to Halt Russian Oil Imports

President Trump recently urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to push European nations and NATO allies to stop funding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Erdogan expressed a desire to stay “neutral” amid the ongoing conflict, which has been described as the deadliest in Europe since World War II. However, Trump asserted before meeting Erdogan that it’s crucial to increase economic pressure on Russia.

“We want to see an end to Russia buying oil while they continue their attacks on Ukraine,” Trump remarked. “Millions have already been lost—what for? It’s disgraceful.”

During their discussions, which also covered trade relations, Trump seemed to hint at the need for Turkey to distance itself from Kremlin energy dependence.

Trump noted, “[Russia’s] economy is in shambles right now. It’s truly unfortunate that they’re continuing this unnecessary violence.” He mentioned that the death toll last week reached 7,818.

“This is just a tragic waste of human life, and it needs to stop. Putin has to stop,” he stated.

Trump emphasized that Erdogan, who has previously mediated discussions between Russia and Ukraine, could significantly influence efforts to end the war.

Turkey has so far managed to maintain friendly relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.

“He’s very much in a neutral position. I appreciate that—I’m neutral too. But if he becomes involved, the best step would be to cease oil and gas imports from Russia,” Trump suggested. “If that happens, it would likely be the most impactful thing he could do.”

He added, “He knows Putin, just like I do.”

Turkey stands as the largest single purchaser of Russian oil, accounting for about 25% of all Moscow’s petroleum exports between 2022 and 2024, according to the Energy and Clean Air Research Center based in Helsinki.

In contrast, China, which holds the title of the primary importer, accounted for around 12% of Russian oil during this period, followed by Brazil at 11%.

Turkey is also the fifth-largest buyer of Russian coal and ranks fourth in imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, behind the EU, China, Japan, and South Korea.

Recently, Trump claimed that Ukraine might reclaim its territories due to the economic challenges facing Russia. He is working to heighten pressure on Moscow following Putin’s refusal to facilitate a discussion between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and himself after the U.S.-Russian summit in Alaska on August 15.

Previously, Trump had pressured Zelensky to make concessions, now calling on allies to together reduce their energy purchases from Russia, emphasizing the need to relinquish occupied territories.

Last month, Trump ramped up tariffs on India from 25% to 50% to respond to its status as the second-largest importer of Russian oil. India imports around 38% of Russia’s crude, while China leads at approximately 47%.