"Nuclear submarines are in Russian region," says Trump
"They are in the region, yeah -- where they have to be," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday.
When asked if there was anything Russia could do to avoid sanctions at this point, Trump said, "Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed."
He further said that he was looking for fairness and not leverage when he was imposing tariffs.
"I'm not looking for leverage -- I'm looking for fairness. We want to see reciprocal wherever we can, and all I can say is this: our country will be taking in hundreds of billions of dollars."
Trump said on Friday that he was ordering two US Navy nuclear submarines to "appropriate regions," in response to remarks by Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's Former President and current deputy chairman of its Security Council.
In what he called an effort to be "prepared," Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had "ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that."
Trump later on Friday said the repositioned nuclear submarines were moved "closer to Russia," CNN reported.
He said Thursday he intended to place new sanctions on Moscow, and called Russia's attacks on Ukraine "disgusting." In an earlier social media message, Trump said the Ukraine war "should have never happened," as per CNN.
"This is Biden's War, not 'TRUMP's.' I'm just here to see if I can stop it!" Trump wrote.
The president did not specify what type of submarines were being moved or where to, and the Pentagon usually reveals little about any of its subs' movements, CNN reported.
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Observer
an hour ago
- Observer
The US-India relationship is changing again
India's relationship with the United States has long been a careful balancing act between shared democratic values and sometimes diverging national interests. But recent diplomatic tremors have unsettled India, prompting it to question whether the partnership has reached a turning point. In what Indian officials view as an unsettling display of geopolitical grandstanding, US President Donald Trump has taken credit for halting recent hostilities between India and Pakistan by threatening to disrupt trade ties. India has bristled at Trump's claims, not only because it is fiercely protective of its sovereignty, but also because they lack merit. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar have noted, Trump did not even call them during the conflict. Bilateral trade was not mentioned by any US official while the fighting was under way. Trump may well have pressed Pakistan to end the violence, but India did not need persuading. As a status-quo power focused on its own economic development, the last thing India wanted was a protracted conflict. So, after terrorists slaughtered Indian civilians in Pahalgam in April, India devised a sharp, swift and measured response. It was always clear that 'Operation Sindoor' — which featured strikes on nine known terrorist basecamps and other facilities in Pakistani territory — was retribution against the terrorists who had targeted Indian tourists, not the opening salvo in a war against Pakistan. When Pakistan retaliated with indiscriminate attacks, India initiated another decisive but carefully calibrated strike — this time, on 11 air bases. It was this manoeuver — possibly coupled with US pressure on Pakistan's government — that prompted Pakistan to seek a cessation of hostilities. Trump hardly deserves credit for this outcome and yet, true to form, he has sought to claim it. But Indian officials have unequivocally rejected Trump's narrative. India is proud of its independence and it will not tolerate the implication that it succumbed to Trumpian threats or blandishments. This is not Trump's only action that is giving India pause. In June, he hosted Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. Pakistan's civilian leadership was not at the table. Trump's unpredictability vis-à-vis China is similarly troubling. Whereas he took a reliably hardline approach to the country during his first presidency, Trump 2.0 blows hot and cold. One minute, he is imposing extreme tariffs against China; the next, he is seeking to negotiate a trade truce and saying that he might visit Beijing at Chinese President Xi Jinping's invitation. Where India fits into these calculations — if it factors into them at all — is a mystery. During Trump's first term — as well as during Joe Biden's presidency — the US regarded India as a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific. While India upheld its foreign-policy doctrine of strategic autonomy and avoided committing to any confrontation with China, it welcomed US engagement in the region and supported the revitalisation of the Quad, which includes Australia, Japan and the US, in 2017. After all, India has its own quarrels with China. Meanwhile, China's influence across South Asia is growing, extending from Bhutan and Nepal to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Indian officials and businesses see China as a threat. But it is difficult to know where the US stands, especially after Trump opted not to rebuke China publicly for offering intelligence assistance to Pakistan. When it comes to trade, moreover, Trump has often been tougher on partners than adversaries. On July 30, Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, effective August 1, together with an unspecified 'penalty' — probably an additional 10 per cent — for India's ongoing purchases of energy and military equipment from Russia. If trade can be weaponised, defence ties could be, too. Trump's capriciousness has heightened India's strategic anxieties. The US has proved to be an unreliable partner before. For example, during the 1999 Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan, the US denied India access to vital GPS data, leading the country to develop its own. Now, Indian decision-makers are split: Should India decouple from China, trusting the US to have its back, or pragmatically engage with it, for fear that the US will do the same? This raises an even more fundamental question: What is the value of a partnership that is subject to the whims of an outsize ego? India will not panic, but it might pivot. Given its lack of treaty obligations, it has greater leeway to act independently than formal US allies like Japan or South Korea. It might use this manoeuvering room to adjust its foreign-policy orientation. Jaishankar's July visit to Beijing pointed to a desire to broaden channels of communication with China. While India is not downgrading its ties with the US, it is emphasising self-reliance. This may lead to a more transactional bilateral relationship, shaped less by ideals than interests. @Project Syndicate, 2025
Observer
an hour ago
- Observer
Russia urges caution after Trump comments
Russia urged caution on Monday after US President Donald Trump said he would deploy two nuclear submarines following an online row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Trump said he had ordered the deployment in response to what he alleged were highly provocative comments by Medvedev, saying the submarines would be positioned in 'appropriate regions'. Trump did not say whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the locations, which are kept secret by the US military. 'Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. And we believe that everyone should be very, very cautious with nuclear rhetoric,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday. The row between Medvedev and Trump erupted against the backdrop of the US leader's ultimatum for Russia to end its military offensive in Ukraine or face fresh economic sanctions, including on its remaining trading partners. Medvedev — one of Russia's most prominent anti-Western hawks — accused Trump of 'playing the ultimatum game' and said that Trump 'should remember' that Russia was a formidable force. 'Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,' he said. Medvedev is currently deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council. He served one term as president between 2008-2012, effectively acting as a placeholder for Putin, who was able to circumvent constitutional term limits and remain in de facto power. The Kremlin said on Monday it was anticipating 'important' talks with Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, later this week, ahead of the US president's looming deadline to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow if it does not make progress towards a peace deal with Ukraine. Trump confirmed on Sunday that special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia, likely on 'Wednesday or Thursday', where he is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin. The nuclear saber-rattling came against the backdrop of a deadline set by Trump at the end of next week for Russia to take steps towards ending the Ukraine war or face unspecified new sanctions. The Republican leader said Witkoff would visit 'I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday'. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already met Witkoff multiple times in Moscow, before Trump's efforts to mend ties with the Kremlin came to a grinding halt. When reporters asked what Witkoff's message would be to Moscow, and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid the sanctions, Trump replied: 'Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.' The Kremlin said another meeting with Putin was possible and that it considered talks with Witkoff to be 'important, substantial and helpful'. Trump has previously threatened that new measures could mean 'secondary tariffs' targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, such as China and India. This would further stifle Russia, but would risk significant international disruption. Despite the pressure from Washington, Russia has continued its onslaught against its pro-Western neighbour. Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said that he wants peace but that his demands for ending his nearly three-and-a-half-year war were 'unchanged'. 'We need a lasting and stable peace on solid foundations that would satisfy both Russia and Ukraine, and would ensure the security of both countries,' Putin told reporters. But he added that 'the conditions (from the Russian side) certainly remain the same'. Russia has frequently called on Ukraine to effectively cede control of four regions Moscow claims to have annexed, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable. Putin also wants Ukraine to drop its ambitions to join Nato. Ukraine launched a drone attack on Sunday which sparked a fire at an oil depot in Sochi, the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Kyiv has said it will intensify its air strikes against Russia in response to an increase in Russian attacks on its territory in recent weeks, which have killed dozens of civilians. Russia's Ministry of Defence said on Monday its air defences intercepted 61 Ukrainian drones overnight. One person was killed by Russian shelling in the southern Kherson region, Ukrainian military authorities said in a Telegram post early on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said that the two sides were preparing a prisoner exchange that would see 1,200 Ukrainian troops return home. — AFP Russia urged caution on Monday after US President Donald Trump said he would deploy two nuclear submarines following an online row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Trump said he had ordered the deployment in response to what he alleged were highly provocative comments by Medvedev, saying the submarines would be positioned in 'appropriate regions'. Trump did not say whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the locations, which are kept secret by the US military. 'Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. And we believe that everyone should be very, very cautious with nuclear rhetoric,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday. The row between Medvedev and Trump erupted against the backdrop of the US leader's ultimatum for Russia to end its military offensive in Ukraine or face fresh economic sanctions, including on its remaining trading partners. Medvedev — one of Russia's most prominent anti-Western hawks — accused Trump of 'playing the ultimatum game' and said that Trump 'should remember' that Russia was a formidable force. 'Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,' he said. Medvedev is currently deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council. He served one term as president between 2008-2012, effectively acting as a placeholder for Putin, who was able to circumvent constitutional term limits and remain in de facto power. The Kremlin said on Monday it was anticipating 'important' talks with Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, later this week, ahead of the US president's looming deadline to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow if it does not make progress towards a peace deal with Ukraine. Trump confirmed on Sunday that special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia, likely on 'Wednesday or Thursday', where he is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin. The nuclear saber-rattling came against the backdrop of a deadline set by Trump at the end of next week for Russia to take steps towards ending the Ukraine war or face unspecified new sanctions. The Republican leader said Witkoff would visit 'I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday'. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already met Witkoff multiple times in Moscow, before Trump's efforts to mend ties with the Kremlin came to a grinding halt. When reporters asked what Witkoff's message would be to Moscow, and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid the sanctions, Trump replied: 'Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.' The Kremlin said another meeting with Putin was possible and that it considered talks with Witkoff to be 'important, substantial and helpful'. Trump has previously threatened that new measures could mean 'secondary tariffs' targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, such as China and India. 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Kyiv has said it will intensify its air strikes against Russia in response to an increase in Russian attacks on its territory in recent weeks, which have killed dozens of civilians. Russia's Ministry of Defence said on Monday its air defences intercepted 61 Ukrainian drones overnight. One person was killed by Russian shelling in the southern Kherson region, Ukrainian military authorities said in a Telegram post early on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said that the two sides were preparing a prisoner exchange that would see 1,200 Ukrainian troops return home. — AFP
Times of Oman
4 hours ago
- Times of Oman
We approach any statements related to nuclear issues with great caution: Kremlin amid Trump-Medvedev social media feud
Moscow: The Kremlin on Monday emphasised Russia's responsible stance on nuclear issues, cautioning against escalating nuclear rhetoric after US President Donald Trump announced the redeployment of two American nuclear submarines, citing "provocative remarks" by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, TASS reported. Peskov emphasised the importance of careful nuclear rhetoric, warning against escalation. "Overall, of course, we do not wish to be drawn into such a discussion or comment on it. We approach any statements related to nuclear issues with great caution. As you know, Russia holds a responsible position. President Putin's stance is well known," Russia's Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Russia prioritises nuclear non-proliferation and believes all parties should exercise extreme care in their nuclear statements. Medvedev had invoked Russia's automated nuclear retaliation system, known as the "Dead Hand," in response to Trump's comments. He stressed that all sides should show restraint when addressing nuclear issues, noting Russia's firm commitment to nuclear non-proliferation. "Russia takes the issue of nuclear non-proliferation very seriously. And, of course, we believe that everyone should be extremely careful when it comes to nuclear rhetoric," the Kremlin spokesman added, as quoted by TASS. Peskov's remark followed Trump's order for two nuclear submarines to be positioned in 'appropriate regions' in response to statements made by Medvedev. "Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump stated in a post on Truth Social. Medvedev, who was Russia's president from 2008 to 2012, earlier warned Trump in an X post of playing the "ultimatum game," noting that each new ultimatum was a "threat and a step towards war." "Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10... He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!" he stated in the post on July 28. Medvedev is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia. Peskov, during the address, also stated that the US's deployment of nuclear submarines was just a continuous military operation and was not influenced by any such political statements. "Russia takes the issue of nuclear non-proliferation very seriously. And, of course, we believe that everyone should be extremely careful when it comes to nuclear rhetoric," the Kremlin spokesman said, responding to the social media exchange between Trump and Medvedev, as quoted by TASS. China has called for restraint, opposing the use or threat of nuclear weapons, while the US and NATO have deemed Russia's nuclear rhetoric "irresponsible."
