President Donald Trump implored Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to cease purchasing oil from Russia as he pushes for a swift end to the battle between Ukraine and Russia.

“I’d like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine,” Trump said on Thursday as the two leaders spoke with the press in the Oval Office. “And they’ve been fighting. They’ve lost millions of lives already, and for what? You know, for what? Disgraceful.”

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Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is among the chief buyers of Russian oil, according to a report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. In January of 2025, Turkey purchased 25% of Russia’s oil product exports, followed by China at 11%, and Brazil at 11%.  

RUTTE AGREES WITH TRUMP ASSESSMENT ON NATO COUNTRIES SHOOTING DOWN RUSSIAN PLANES

The president praised Erdogan for staying “neutral” amid the negotiations to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky together for a ceasefire meeting.

“Well, I can tell you that President Erdogan is very respected by both of them. Everybody respects Erdogan. They really respect Erdogan. I do,” Trump said. “And I think he could have a big influence if he wants to. Right now, he’s very neutral. He likes being neutral. So do I. I like being neutral. But he’s somebody that if he got involved, the best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia.”

Trump added that he was “very disappointed in Putin,” who has stalled negotiations to end the fighting after meeting with Trump in Alaska last month.

Trump was also questioned about other NATO allies who have not yet stopped purchasing Russian oil, which he called disappointing.

“We’re going to be seeing about that. The NATO countries were disappointing in that regard, but they’ve been very amazing in other ways,” he said. “They did as you know, they went from 2% to 5% GDP, and that’s a big step, and it’s paid.”

Trump has pressured the European Union to immediately end the purchase of Russian oil as a means to end the Ukraine-Russia war.

“China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil – but inexcusably, even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy,” Trump said during an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.