If Europe wishes to see stronger sanctions from the United States on Russia, the European Union needs to stop purchasing Russian oil and gas, President Donald Trump’s energy chief said.
In an interview published with the Financial Times on Monday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicated that stronger sanctions from the Trump administration hinge on the EU increasing its purchases of U.S. fossil fuels.
“If the Europeans drew a line and said: ‘We’re not going to buy more Russian gas, we’re not going to buy Russian oil.’ Would that have a positive influence on the U.S. leaning in more aggressively [on sanctions] as well? Absolutely,” Wright said.
Wright said the administration believes that halting all Russian energy imports would be “economically” good for Europe, as it would increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine.
“Russia funds its war machine off oil exports and natural gas exports, and if you cut off European purchase of those, it shrinks their money,” he said.
Trump has left in place the sanctions the Biden administration imposed on Russia. The Trump administration has also favored “secondary” sanctions that penalize third parties for doing business with Russia. In August, the U.S. increased tariffs on India to 50% over its purchases of Russian oil.
The EU is facing mounting pressure from the Trump administration to end purchases of Russian oil, including from the president himself, according to Reuters.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also began to apply pressure on European allies over the weekend, telling NBC News that the U.S.’s European partners need to “follow us.”
“If the U.S. and the EU can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse, and that will bring President Putin to the table,” Bessent said.
The EU has dramatically decreased its imports of Russian oil and gas since Putin invaded Ukraine in early 2022 and is aiming to phase out Russian oil fully by 2028.
However, the plan faces opposition from EU members Hungary and Slovakia, the primary European countries still importing large amounts of fossil fuels from Moscow. The nations have insisted that ending Russian imports would increase energy prices and possibly cause shortages across the regions.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen told Reuters on Friday that leadership is currently in discussions with the two countries regarding their concerns, but he said the bloc is prepared to approve a phase-out without unanimous support.
Jorgensen is scheduled to meet with Wright this week to discuss the EU’s plans to phase out Russian energy.
TRUMP SAYS HE’S READY TO IMPLEMENT SECOND PHASE OF SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA
Although the Trump administration has increased pressure on the EU to end Russian imports, it has not yet offered up an alternative timeline to the proposed 2028 phase-out.
“President Trump has emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war — as Russia received billions of euros in fuel sales from the EU in one year,” a White House official told the Washington Examiner.
