Last Saturday, US President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that he will adopt major sanctions on Russia when NATO members stop buying Russian oil. NATO members are undermining their bargaining power over Russia by buying Russian oil according to Trump: “NATO’S commitment to WIN has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian Oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia.”
In August 2025, NATO member Turkey and the EU, led by Hungary and Slovakia, imported €596 million and €379 million worth of Russia’s crude oil, respectively, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Turkey bought for €1 billion oil products from Russia. Hungary and Slovakia remain major pipeline gas importers, while France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, despite backing Ukraine, import Russian LNG, fuelling Russia’s war. In August the EU total imports of Russian fossil fuels amounted to €1,2 billion. Turkey was the third-biggest buyer of fossil fuels with €3 billion. In August China and India were the top importers of fossil fuels, with China buying €5.7 billion and India €3.6 billion worth of Russian fossil fuels.
Attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure
Ukraine intensifies attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, striking the Kirishi refinery in Leningrad Oblast over the weekend and the Primorsk oil hub on Sept. 12, 2025, to disrupt Moscow’s war funding. On Sept. 9 Ukraine attacked several gas pipelines supplying Russian forces in Ukraine. Ukraine’s strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure created tensions between Ukraine and Hungary in August, because Hungary is one of Europe’s top consumers of Russian gas and it fears that its energy security is impacted.
Outlook
Trump’s demand that all NATO members halt Russian oil imports due to stricter US sanctions is unlikely to be met. Turkey, with no restrictions or plans to limit Russian energy imports, continues robust trade. Hungary and Slovakia, major pipeline gas importers, resist phasing out Russian fossil fuels. The European commission aims to end the import of fossil fuels from Russia by the end of 2027. The US may still impose new sanctions on Russia as lawmakers draft the “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025.”