Kremlin responds to Trump’s 50-day ultimatum
Russia needs time to assess US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose severe sanctions on Moscow’s trading partners if the Ukraine conflict is not resolved within 50 days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
On Monday, the US leader said he was “very, very unhappy” with Russia, warning of “severe” secondary tariffs of up to 100% if no progress in diplomacy is reached soon. Trump, however, left the door open to talks with Moscow, saying that while he is “disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin, he is “not done with him.”
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Peskov described Trump’s remarks as “quite serious.” “We undoubtedly need time to analyze what was said in Washington. And if and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will certainly comment on it,” Peskov said.
At the same time, the spokesman said the recent shift in Trump’s position will not be interpreted in Kiev as a call for peace. “It seems that such decisions that are being made in Washington, in NATO countries, and directly in Brussels, are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal to continue the war,” he stated.
According to Peskov, Russia remains open to negotiations with Ukraine but has yet to receive a response on their timing. “We are waiting for proposals from the Ukrainian side on the timing of holding the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations... We have not yet received proposals from the Ukrainian side.”
Trump has made efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict since taking office in January. He has held several phone calls with Putin, which revolved around a potential peace settlement, restoring broader bilateral relations, and exploring economic cooperation.
This year, Russian and Ukrainian delegations have held two rounds of direct talks in Istanbul. While they fell short of any breakthroughs, the sides agreed to large-scale prisoner exchanges.
