President Donald Trump called on European leaders to stop “funding” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and accused them of failing to pressure China.
In a statement to Fox News Digital following a call between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders who met in Paris for a Coalition of the Willing summit, a White House official said, “President Trump emphasized that Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war – as Russia received €1.1 billion [nearly $1.3 billion] in fuel sales from the EU in one year.
“The President also emphasized that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official added.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrive to chair the Coalition of the Willing Summit, at The Elysee presidential Palace in Paris, on Sept. 4, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said the meeting focused on how to up the “pressure” on Putin to end his three-and-a-half-year-long war.
“We talked about how to push the situation toward real peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We discussed different options, and the most important is pressure, using strong measures, particularly economic ones, to force an end to the war.
“The key to peace is depriving Russia’s war machine of money, depriving it of resources,” he added.
Zelenskyy also said the leaders discussed how to better defend Ukraine’s skies from the constant barrage of missile and drone attacks by Russia, though the White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions on whether the U.S. has pledged further support.
“Ukraine has proposed a format for protecting our skies for the U.S. to consider,” Zelenskyy said. “I thank President Trump for supporting our people. We agreed on further contacts.”
The meeting came just one day after Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Bejing for a military parade commemorating the cessation of World War II hostilities 80 years ago.
Both China and North Korea have remained steadfast supporters of Putin during his war in Ukraine and amid rebuke from the West.
White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, center, speaks with France’s President Emmanuel Macron during the Coalition of the Willing Summit in Paris, on Sept. 4, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Putin on Wednesday also invited Zelenskyy to meet with him in Moscow, which Ukrainian and Western security officials have flagged as disingenuous amid pressure from Trump for the pair to meet.
Trump said he will speak with Putin in the coming days.
