WASHINGTON — On Thursday, President Trump addressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan directly about his defiance of Trump’s demands for European countries and NATO allies to halt purchases of Russian oil and financial backing for Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine.
While acknowledging Erdogan’s self-proclaimed desire to stay “neutral” in this ongoing conflict, Trump urged the Turkish leader, in front of the press, to intensify economic sanctions on the Kremlin.
“I want him to cease all oil purchases from Russia while Russia continues its assault on Ukraine,” Trump stated. “Moscow has already lost millions of lives; for what? It’s an absolute disgrace.”
At 79 years old, Trump mentioned that he and the 71-year-old Erdogan would be deliberating on both the situation in Ukraine and the trade relations between their countries, hinting at the U.S. president’s aim to reduce Ankara’s dependence on Russian energy.
Throughout Trump’s persuasive remarks, Erdogan kept a stoic demeanor and responded through a translator, “I believe in the peace initiatives President Trump is championing, and together we can overcome the regional challenges.”
In line with his recent statements, Trump emphasized that “[Russia’s] economy is in dire straits right now. It’s shameful how they are killing many people unnecessarily. Last week alone, 7,818 were killed, primarily military personnel.
“This is a terrible waste of human life, and it needs to stop. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin must halt this.”
Trump suggested that Erdogan, who has previously mediated between Russia and Ukraine, “could exert significant influence, should he decide to,” in bringing an end to the conflict.
Up to this point, Turkey has opted to maintain favorable relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.
“Currently, he adopts a neutral stance. He enjoys that neutrality—so do I. But he is someone who, if motivated, could take the right step by ceasing oil and gas purchases from Russia,” Trump elaborated. “If he followed through on that, it would be one of the best moves he could make.”
“He knows Putin, just as I know him,” he added.
Later that Thursday, after Erdogan’s departure from the White House, Trump told the press that the Turkish leader “has numerous options” for addressing his country’s energy requirements and predicted, “He’s going to act appropriately.”
As a NATO member since 1952, Turkey maintains the strongest ties with Russia among the alliance’s 32 members.
Ankara is the largest single importer of Russian oil, accounting for about a quarter of all Moscow’s oil product exports from 2022 to 2024, according to the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
In contrast, China—the foremost buyer of Russian crude oil—acquired approximately 12% of Russia’s oil products during the same time frame, with Brazil at 11% following closely behind.
Turkey is also the fifth-largest buyer of Russian coal and the fourth-largest importer of Russian liquefied natural gas, lagging behind the EU, China, Japan, and South Korea.
According to a 2024 report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Turkey’s cooperation with Moscow in energy has extended to nuclear projects, as Russia is currently constructing Turkey’s first nuclear power plant while educating numerous Turkish nuclear engineers and technicians.
Surprisingly, Trump stated earlier this week that Ukraine has the potential to reclaim all lost territory due to Russia’s declining economic conditions, seeking to ratchet up pressure on the Kremlin after a failed attempt to get Putin to engage with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at an August 15 summit in Alaska.
The president, who had formerly urged Zelensky to make concessions—such as surrendering occupied regions—has been actively encouraging other allies to lessen their energy purchases from Russia.
Last month, Trump raised tariffs on India from 25% to 50% in an attempt to penalize that country, the second-largest importer of Russian crude oil, which relies on Russian exports for approximately 38% of its crude oil, second only to China, which accounts for around 47%.
