A Two-Front Economic War: Trump’s Proposal Targets Moscow and Beijing

President Donald Trump is advocating for a two-front economic war, simultaneously targeting Moscow with sanctions and Beijing with tariffs, and he wants the entire NATO alliance to enlist. This aggressive strategy was outlined in a public declaration where he laid out his conditions for escalating the financial pressure to end the Ukraine war.
The front against Russia, according to Trump, must begin with a complete and unified oil embargo from all NATO members. He has made this a non-negotiable prerequisite for the U.S. to implement its own “major Sanctions.” This is a direct challenge to the alliance to fully sever the energy ties that continue to fuel the Russian economy.
The second front targets China. Trump proposed the novel idea that NATO should act in concert to levy punitive tariffs of 50% to 100% on Chinese goods. The rationale is to punish China for its robust trade with Russia, particularly in the energy sector, thereby closing a critical economic backdoor for the Kremlin. The tariffs would be lifted once the war concludes.
This bold strategy represents a significant escalation, aiming to create a global economic coalition so powerful that it could force a swift end to the conflict. Trump presented it as a matter of simple logic: “If NATO does as I say, the war will end quickly,” he claimed, putting the responsibility for the next steps on the alliance.