US President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, 23 September 2025, that European countries must halt purchases of Russian oil and gas “immediately”, arguing such trade “funds the war against themselves”. He linked any new US economic measures against Russia to Europe cutting remaining energy ties with Moscow.
In a wide-ranging address, Mr Trump said that if Russia “is not ready to make a deal to end the war” the United States was prepared to impose “a very strong round of powerful tariffs”, which he said would “stop the bloodshed… very quickly”, but insisted those steps would require matching action from European governments. He also criticised continued Russian energy purchases by China and India.
Mr Trump’s remarks came as European governments debate how to complete the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels begun after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission tabled proposals in June to ban new pipeline gas and LNG imports from Russia from 1 January 2026, with a full exit by the end of 2027–28 under staged rules for existing contracts. Russia’s share of EU gas supply has already fallen sharply from pre-war levels.
Oil remains a point of contention. While the EU embargoed most seaborne Russian crude at the end of 2022, landlocked Hungary and Slovakia secured derogations allowing continued pipeline deliveries via the southern branch of the Druzhba network. Brussels has in recent days weighed trade measures targeting those flows if they are not phased out.
Hungary signalled it would not change course in response to the US position. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, speaking on the margins of UNGA, said Budapest could not ensure secure supplies without Russian oil and gas and would continue purchases. Similar statements were carried by several outlets, following an interview in which he cited infrastructure constraints.
Hungary Defies Trump’s Demand to Halt Russian Oil: Energy Reality or Political Defiance?
Additional elements of Mr Trump’s UN speech included criticism of what he described as Europe’s willingness to keep buying Russian energy while seeking to deter Moscow militarily, and a pledge to raise the matter directly with European leaders during UN week. Coverage also noted his broader attacks on multilateral bodies and positions on migration.
Several governments have pushed for a tighter EU line on the remaining Russian oil trade. Poland last week urged a complete end to Russian crude imports in the bloc by 2026 and offered to support neighbours still reliant on Druzhba supplies. The Commission, for its part, has outlined legal pathways to unwind long-term Russian gas contracts and restrict access to LNG infrastructure, aiming to reduce residual dependence while avoiding abrupt supply shocks.
Independent analysts note that Russian gas and oil volumes to the EU have already declined materially, though exemptions and legacy contracts persist in Central Europe. A May briefing by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air recalled that exemptions granted in 2022 allowed pipeline crude to continue flowing to Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia, while think-tanks have highlighted that long-term gas deals in Austria, Hungary and Slovakia extend beyond 2025 even as overall Russian deliveries shrink.
Mr Trump’s energy comments formed part of a wider set of messages at the UN’s 80th session, where he also criticised “globalist” institutions and reiterated claims about his past record. The speech drew attention for its linkage of prospective US tariffs on Russia to European action on energy sourcing, a conditional approach that appears designed to increase pressure on capitals that still import Russian hydrocarbons.
The White House did not publish a detailed sanctions timetable or tariff schedule. European officials, meanwhile, continue to discuss instruments that could curb remaining Russian oil shipments through Druzhba and accelerate diversification away from Russian gas, with several proposals structured to reduce the scope for individual vetoes.
