BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — US President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes the Russia-Ukraine war would end if NATO countries stopped buying oil from Russia and imposed tariffs of 50% to 100% on China for its purchases of Russian petroleum.

Posting on his social media site, Trump criticized NATO’s commitment to the war effort as “far less than 100%,” calling it “shocking” that some alliance members continue to purchase Russian oil.

“It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia,” he wrote.

Since 2023, Turkey has been the third-largest buyer of Russian oil after China and India, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. NATO members Hungary and Slovakia have also continued purchases.

Trump’s remarks came days after Russian drones entered Polish airspace before being shot down, a move Poland called escalatory.

Trump downplayed the incident, suggesting it “could have been a mistake.”

As a candidate, Trump vowed to end the war swiftly, but his administration has yet to strike the pressure points needed to halt the conflict.

Last month, he hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska for talks that produced no progress toward peace. Congress is pressing Trump to support tougher sanctions.

Trump argued that tariffs on China would “break its grip” over Russia and could be lifted once the war ends.

He has already imposed a 25% import tax on goods from India for its purchases of Russian energy.

In his post, Trump blamed former President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war, but did not mention Putin, who launched the invasion in 2022.

His comments followed a Group of Seven finance ministers’ call Friday, during which U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged allies to present a unified strategy to cut off Russian war revenues. — Agencies