WASHINGTON DC – US President Donald Trump used a phone call with European leaders on Thursday to press them to stop purchasing Russian oil and turn their attention to China, as they convened in Paris to discuss future security arrangements for Ukraine. The meeting, dubbed the “Coalition of the Willing,” was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and attended in person by his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, and key European allies.
A White House official, speaking to reporters Thursday afternoon, said that Trump called the leaders to emphasize “that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war,” adding that “Russia received €1.1 billion ($1.28 billion) in fuel sales from the EU in one year.”
The official also noted that Trump urged the European leaders to “place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” reflecting a growing concern in Washington about Beijing’s support for the Kremlin.
Stalled peace process
Trump’s participation and direct message to the summit leaders comes as his efforts to broker a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow have seen little apparent progress.
He has previously expressed a desire to bring Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, but no such meeting has materialized.
The president has reportedly pushed back against claims that his administration has not taken strong enough action against Russia. He has previously cited sanctions imposed on India for its purchase of Russian energy as evidence of his resolve.
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This has drawn criticism back at home, including from some in the Senate.
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the number two Democrat Senator, on Thursday pointed to a recent trilateral meeting where Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were seen together, suggesting that Trump’s policies were pushing India away from the US and toward its rivals.
Domestic concerns
The US president’s message to European leaders also comes amid ongoing debate and division among Republicans over US energy policy and its role in a global context.
On Wednesday, some lawmakers pointed out that China is investing record amounts in energy, which makes its products more competitive. Whereas a US bill on the table would cut funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, and undermine US global energy leadership.
During House floor debate, Republican Congressmember Troy Downing from Montana and Bruce Westerman from Alaska have highlighted the need for the US to access its own vast natural resources, including critical minerals and natural gas, to avoid ceding energy dominance to “hostile foreign nations like China and Russia.”
They argue that projects like the Alaska LNG pipeline are crucial steps in countering China’s influence in the wider region, as they would allow Asian allies like Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea to buy American energy rather than rely on adversaries.
Expert endorsement
However, the push from the White House to European leaders was welcomed by energy experts.
Geoffrey Pyatt, a former top US diplomat for energy issues during the Biden administration, told Kyiv Post on Thursday: “It’s a welcome sign that President Trump is focused on the need to increase pressure on the Kremlin – including by pushing China to reduce support for Putin’s war.”
Pyatt, who also served as US ambassador to Ukraine and Greece and as assistant secretary for energy resources, added that the theme of increasing pressure on Russia had also emerged from a recent White House meeting with the Polish president.
“As has been the case since the start of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked engagement, we need collectively to raise the costs for the Kremlin,” he said.
Commitment from Europe, awaiting America’s
During the Paris summit, Macron announced that 26 countries had committed to a post-war support force for Ukraine, but noted that a specific US pledge was still being ironed out.
The White House official reiterated Trump’s position, stating that “this is not his war, and the Europeans must step up as well.”
Speaking to reporters later on Thursday, Trump was asked if he would be speaking with Putin.
“I will be,” he stated.
“I settled seven wars, the one that I thought would be maybe one of the easiest, you know, that feeling you think one thing is going to be, turns out to be a little bit tougher,” Trump concluded.
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