Moscow’s Money Trail: Trump Aims to Cut It via NATO and China

President Donald Trump is determined to cut Moscow’s money trail, and his new strategy aims to do so by forcing NATO to sever its energy ties with Russia and by penalizing China for its continued trade. This two-pronged financial assault is what he believes will end the war in Ukraine.
The first step, as outlined by the President on social media, is to stop the flow of money from within the alliance itself. He has demanded that all NATO nations “STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA” as a precondition for any new, heavy U.S. sanctions. He called the current energy trade with Russia “shocking.”
The second step is to block the money trail from Beijing. Trump has urged the entire NATO alliance to impose crippling tariffs of 50% to 100% on Chinese goods. This move is designed to make it economically unviable for China to continue acting as a financial lifeline for the Kremlin.
By targeting the two largest sources of revenue propping up Russia’s war effort—energy sales to Europe and broader trade with China—Trump is attempting a pincer movement on the Russian economy. He is betting that this overwhelming financial pressure is the key to a “quick” resolution.