Washington/Paris, September 5 (HS) : U.S. President Donald Trump has called on European nations to step up economic pressure on China, accusing Beijing of backing Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking via video link to European leaders gathered in Paris on Thursday, Trump also insisted that Europe must halt purchases of Russian oil, which he said were directly financing Moscow’s war machine.
European Oil in Spotlight
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined the meeting, Trump expressed frustration over European countries still buying Russian crude — singling out Hungary and Slovakia as major buyers.
The discussion also covered tougher sanctions against Russia and new measures to help shield Ukraine’s airspace from missile and drone attacks.
Sanctions on India, Silence on China
The United States has already imposed sanctions on India for continued Russian oil imports. However, Trump has so far held back from directly sanctioning China, which remains a top buyer of Russian energy and is simultaneously negotiating trade deals with Washington.
Despite this, Trump has struck an increasingly hostile tone toward Beijing. Earlier this week, he accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of colluding with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un during their joint appearance at a military parade in Beijing marking the end of World War II.
No Clear Path Forward
Trump’s attempts to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have yet to show results, and U.S. officials remain vague on Washington’s next steps. But his remarks underline growing U.S. impatience with Europe’s Russian oil imports and fears that China’s alignment with Moscow could deepen.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
