French President Emmanuel Macron is challenging Trump’s approach to Moscow, arguing that Europe has already reduced its reliance on Russian energy.
Speaking to CBS News’ Face the Nation, the Frensh leader argued that this was a “marginal” issue, challenging Donald Trump’s calls for the NATO nations to stop buying oil from Russia.
He claimed that Europe has already reduced its consumption of Russian oil and gas by over 80 percent and is “fixing” the remaining dependence.
“This is not a key driver today. We decreased by more than 80% the consumption of oil and gas. And I can tell you, because we were not the most impacted as a country, because we were less dependent on this oil and gas coming from Russia. But we have to finalize, to finish the job,” Macron said in the interview with Margaret Brennan.
When asked whether he favors further sanctions or tariffs on Russia, Macron acknowledged: “As soon as possible. If it depends just on me, tomorrow. But it doesn’t just depend on me. So I hope, I think we have to react collectively if you want my strong view, I think it’s very important. I think we all agree we want peace. We all agree the problem is Russia because they don’t want peace. So now we have to increase the pressure to convince Russia to come back at the table.”
“We have to increase sanctions against Russia,” he said, stressing the need for a plan to put more pressure on Russia.
The French president also commented that European leaders should engage in a serious dialogue in order to see where and in which capacity Russia is helped by third countries, and to increase the pressure.
“My point is, let’s focus on some secondary sanctions, if they make sense. I think this approach is a good one, but it should be targeted and directly related to Russia,” Macron noted, adding that “this is what we call the secondary sanction, because you don’t sanction directly Russia, but a third country which is helping them, and this job has to be made, has already started technically. I’m totally in favor of this job.”
The US president wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social on September 13 that he is ready to do major sanctions on Russia “when all NATO nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO nations stop buying oil from Russia.”
He suggested that he’d consider additional measures against Russia but buying oil from Russia weakens the negotiating position.
“As you know, NATO’S commitment to win has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian oil, by some, has been shocking! It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia. Anyway, I am ready to “go” when you are. Just say when? I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% tariffs on China, to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ending this deadly, but ridiculous, war. China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful tariffs will break that grip.”
