President Donald Trump joined European leaders on a call Thursday and encouraged them to halt purchases of Russian oil that are in turn helping to fund the war in Ukraine and to economically pressure China for helping to subsidize Russia’s campaign.
A White House official confirmed the call in a statement to Breitbart News after Reuters initially reported the discussion between Trump and the leaders of countries that are part of the “Coalition of the Willing,” including French President Emmanuel Macron.
“President Macron and European leaders called President Trump into their ‘Coalition of the Willing’ meeting. President Trump emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war — as Russia received €1.1 billion in fuel sales from the EU in one year,” a White House official told Breitbart News.
“The President also emphasized that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official added.
Trump expressed his displeasure with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week after the leaders met last month in Alaska to discuss potentially winding down the war.
“I’m very disappointed in him. He and I always had a great relationship. Very disappointed.” Trump told the Scott Jennings Radio Show on Salem News Network in an interview that aired on Wednesday. “Thousands of people are dying. They’re not Americans that are dying, but they’re Russians and they’re Ukrainians, and there’s thousands, and it’s a war that makes no sense.”
“It would have never started if I were president, and that’s what bothers me even more, because the election was totally rigged, and it’s a shame,” he added.
Last month, Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on India in response to its purchases of Russian oil as a means to put economic pressure on Putin. Meanwhile, Indian President Narendra Modi and Putin were both on hand in China this week for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where they met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders.
During his bilateral meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump floated additional penalties toward Russia while correcting a Polish reporter who falsely stated he had not taken action against the country since assuming office.
“Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside of China, they’re almost equal, would you say that was no action?” Trump shot back at the reporter. “That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action?”
“I haven’t done phase two yet or phase three, but when you say there’s no action, I think you ought to get yourself a new job, because if you remember two weeks ago… I said, if India buys, India’s got big problems, and that’s what happened, so don’t tell me about that,” Trump added.
