Latest news with #US-Russia
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Kremlin vows to ‘increase force' of attacks on Ukraine despite EU sanctions
Mr Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's security council, made his comments after the EU agreed a new package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. In a post on his official Telegram channel, Mr Medvedev said the new sanctions would do little to alter Russia's stance on the conflict, just as previous rounds of sanctions had failed to make an impact. Mr Medvedev, who has emerged as one of the Kremlin's top hawks, said Russia planned to intensify its strikes on Ukraine. 'Strikes against targets in so-called Ukraine, including Kyiv, will be carried out with increasing force', Mr Medvedev said. US president Donald Trump announced a toughened stance against Russia on Monday, promising a fresh wave of missiles and other weaponry, including Patriot missile defence systems capable of destroying Russian ballistic missiles. He also gave Russia 50 days to sign up to a ceasefire or face new sanctions. The EU yesterday agreed an 18th package of sanctions against Russia, including measures aimed at dealing further blows to the Russian oil and energy industry. The bloc will set a moving price cap on Russian crude oil at 15pc below its average market price, EU diplomats said. This aims to improve on a largely ineffective $60 (€52) per barrel cap that the G7 economies have tried to impose since December 2022. 'The EU just approved one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date,' EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on X. 'We will keep raising the costs, so stopping the aggression becomes the only path forward for Moscow.' The UK also announced it would join the price cap move, saying it would deal a blow to Moscow's oil revenues used to finance the ongoing conflict. Earlier yesterday, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin did not believe that the tougher stance Mr Trump has adopted towards Russia means the end of US-Russia talks aimed at improving the relationship between the two countries. Asked if Mr Trump's statements meant that negotiations aimed at reviving battered ties between Moscow and Washington would now end, Mr Peskov said: 'We assume that this is not what it means. Of course, these are different issues. One issue is the question of the Ukrainian [peace] settlement. The other issue is our bilateral relations.' Mr Peskov said many 'irritants' and problems still needed to be resolved in order to improve ties with Washington, which he said were 'in a deplorable state'. He called efforts to change the situation time-consuming and difficult. Moscow's dialogue with Washington appeared to improve after Mr Trump retook office in January, but Mr Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Vladimir Putin over conditions the Russian president has attached to any potential ceasefire. Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of peace talks in Turkey earlier this year, which yielded an agreement to exchange prisoners and soldiers' remains. But no date has yet been set for a third round of talks, and the warring sides remain far apart on the terms of any ceasefire or eventual peace settlement. Ms Svyrydenko negotiated a high-level deal offering the US preferential access to Ukraine's mineral wealth Ukraine and the US, meanwhile, have been holding detailed talks on a deal involving US investment in Kyiv's domestic drone production, new Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said yesterday. Her announcement came a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky tasked a new, reshuffled government with scaling up Ukraine's arms industry and strengthening ties with its strategic partners. Ms Svyrydenko, speaking alongside several other new ministers in Kyiv, said the deal would also lead to the US – Ukraine's biggest military backer – purchasing Ukrainian drones. 'We plan to sign a drone deal with the United States. We are discussing investments in the expansion of production of Ukrainian drones by the US,' she said. 'That is, we are talking about the purchase of a large batch of Ukrainian drones.' Ms Svyrydenko added that a political decision on the deal had been made by Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump, and that officials were hashing out the details. Mr Zelensky told the New York Post this week that he and Mr Trump were considering a deal for Washington to buy battlefield-tested Ukrainian drones in exchange for Kyiv purchasing weapons from the US. The Ukrainian government under Ms Svyrydenko is expected to shore up ties with the Trump administration. Ms Svyrydenko is well-known in Washington, having negotiated a high-level deal offering the US preferential access to Ukraine's mineral wealth. The deal will feed a reconstruction fund.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Kremlin Says Trump Ukraine Pressure Wont End US-Russia Talks
The Kremlin said on Friday that it did not believe that a tougher stance US President Donald Trump has adopted towards Russia over its war in Ukraine means the end of US-Russia talks aimed at reviving their battered ties. Trump unveiled his new position on Monday, setting a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine or face sanctions. He also promised more missiles for Kyiv, a move the Russian Foreign Ministry sharply criticised on Thursday. Asked on Friday if Trump's statements meant that negotiations aimed at reviving ties between Moscow and Washington would now end, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We assume that this is not what it means. Of course, these are different issues. One issue is the question of the Ukrainian (peace) settlement. The other issue is our bilateral relations." Peskov said many "irritants" and problems still needed to be resolved in order to improve ties with Washington, which he said were "in a deplorable state." He called efforts to change the situation time-consuming and difficult. Moscow's dialogue with Washington appeared to improve after Trump retook office in January, but Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with President Vladimir Putin over conditions the Kremlin chief has attached to any potential ceasefire. Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of peace talks in Turkey earlier this year, which yielded an agreement to exchange prisoners and soldiers' remains. But no date has yet been set for a third round of talks, and the warring sides remain far apart on the terms of any ceasefire or eventual peace settlement.
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Ukraine hails 'Agent Melania' after Trump admits First Lady explained Putin's lies
Ukrainians have hailed Melania Trump as an unlikely 'undercover agent' after explaining Vladimir Putin's lies to the US President Ukrainians have lauded Melania Trump as an unexpected "undercover agent" after the US President disclosed that it was his wife who persuaded him to change his stance on Vladimir Putin. Following another collapse in US-Russia peace negotiations, Donald Trump openly acknowledged that it was the First Lady who consistently revealed Putin's deceit, leading to his stark change of attitude towards Moscow. "I go home, I tell the First Lady: I spoke with Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation," Trump recounted. "She said: Really? Another city was just hit." The US President will meet Keir Starmer in Scotland later this month to discuss, among other things, Ukraine peace talks. He continued: "We thought we had a deal numerous times. I get home, I'd say, 'First Lady, I had the most wonderful talk with Vladimir. I think we're finished.' And then I'd turn on the television or she'll say to me one time, 'Well that's strange because they just bombed a nursing home.'" These comments, interpreted by many as evidence of Trump's mounting irritation with Putin, have generated a flurry of commendation for Melania on pro-Ukrainian social media platforms, reports the Mirror US. Subsequent to the president's statement, a user on platform X circulated a doctored image of "Agent Melania Trumpenko" donning a wide-brimmed hat and a military-style jacket adorned with the Ukrainian Armed Forces badge. "Plenty of affection for Melania Trump across Ukrainian social media this evening," shared the publication Business Ukraine, accompanied by a meme depicting three cartoon figures ceremoniously placing a traditional Ukrainian hat upon her head. "Melania single-handedly doing more for Ukraine than the entire GOP," remarked user Ernő Buzás. On Monday, Trump caught a seasoned BBC journalist off guard with an unexpected late-night telephone call that nearly resulted in him missing the interview because he was fast asleep. The US president conducted an unplanned interview from the White House that covered topics ranging from Vladimir Putin to the NATO alliance, plus the assassination attempt that almost claimed his life. Respected Gary O'Donoghue, the BBC's Chief North America political correspondent, had spent several days pursuing a potential interview to commemorate a year since the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. However, after no call materialised, he had abandoned hope until his telephone rang whilst he slumbered. Discussing Trump's tendency to ring journalists unexpectedly, O'Donoghue revealed: "On Monday evening, it was my turn. And I'll be frank with you - I was asleep when the White House rang. "I'd spent the best part of five days believing there was an outside chance I would get an interview with him, to mark a year since the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania." O'Donoghue then recounted the call. "Hi, Gary, I'm here with the president. Here you go," said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. During the candid 20-minute chat, Trump displayed a rare introspective mood when questioned about whether the shooting had altered him. "I don't like dwelling on it because if I did, it would be, you know, might be life-changing," he remarked. "I like the power of positive thinking, or the power of positive non-thinking."
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
How has Russia responded to Trump's 50-day ultimatum?
If the threat of hefty US tariffs being imposed on Russia and its trading partners has worried the Kremlin's leadership, they are not showing it. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has not responded to yesterday's announcement by US President Donald Trump that the US will impose 100% tariffs on Russia and its trading partners if Moscow fails to halt its war in Ukraine within 50 days. Those secondary sanctions would penalise buyers of Russian oil exports, particularly China and India. Mr Trump also announced that the US would supply Ukraine with high-grade US military equipment, including up to 17 Patriot air defence systems, to be paid for by NATO countries. Mr Putin's silence is not surprising. He has not reacted to other recent critical comments about him by Mr Trump either. All the messaging coming from the Kremlin indicates that it is unfazed by Mr Trump's 50-day ultimatum, or at least that is how it wants to be perceived. This afternoon, Reuters cited three anonymous sources close to the Kremlin's power base, who said that Mr Putin will not stop the war under pressure from the West. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has described the US president's comments yesterday as "very serious". "We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington," he said. Yesterday, Mr Peskov had downplayed US plans to supply Kyiv with Patriots and instead focused on highlighting that Russia was ready to start a third round of direct talks with Ukraine. The US, said Mr Peskov, was "continuing" to arm Ukraine as it had already been doing, as if to say that the Trump administration's policy reversal was not newsworthy. But it was big news. Few could have predicted in February, when Mr Trump held his first amicable phone call with Mr Putin, that the US president would end up threatening sanctions against Moscow and supplying Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of weapons, as he agreed yesterday in Washington with NATO chief Mark Rutte. Just months ago, both presidents were talking about a new US-Russia trading relationship. Instead, Russia's rejection of a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire (which Ukraine agreed to as early as 11 March), its belligerent stance during two rounds of direct talks with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul in May and June, and its decision to intensify its air war on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks has made Mr Trump reach for the stick, not the carrot, to get Russia to agree to a ceasefire deal. Other senior Russian officials have brushed aside Mr Trump's comments too. Dmitry Medvedev, a firebrand and former Russian president who sits on the country's security council, posted on X this morning that Russia "didn't care" about Mr Trump's 50-day warning to end the war. "Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed," he wrote. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking today during a visit to China, said that Russia wants to understand the motivation behind Mr Trump's decision. But it is hard to believe that Mr Lavrov, a seasoned diplomat, cannot interpret why the US president has changed course. Quite simply, Mr Trump has grown tired of the Russian leader's nice talk, or "bulls**t" as he described it last week. Others like Russian deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov told Russia's state news agency TASS that Moscow remains "unshakeable" and views ultimatums to be "unacceptable". Even without hearing directly from Mr Putin, the response from Moscow to yesterday's statements by Mr Trump implies that Russia is in no mood to slow the momentum of its war. The threat of new US sanctions on Russia and its trading partners has not spooked the markets either. The MOEX, the main benchmark index on the Moscow stock exchange, has risen 1.6% since trading began yesterday morning when news broke about Mr Trump's intention supply Patriots to Ukraine. It is not a significant increase but has bucked a two-week dip in the value of Russian stocks. Nor have oil markets slumped since yesterday's ultimatum by Mr Trump. Brent crude, the main global benchmark for oil prices, dipped $1.6 yesterday but steadied today, trading about $1 lower than yesterday morning. Not a significant drop. That suggests that investors doubt the US will follow through on its threat to impose tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil exports. Or, that Mr Trump's 50-day deadline allows enough time for oil traders to see how things play out in the coming weeks before deciding to sell off. It could take weeks for Mr Trump's ultimatum to start bearing any real pressure. And a lot can change in the next 50 days. Russia could decide to further ramp up its war effort to gain as much land as possible in that time. On the frontlines, the bloody business continues as usual.
India Gazette
15-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Russia doesnt respond to pressure: How Moscow sees Trumps ultimatum
From skepticism to strategic recalculations, Russian analysts interpret Washingtons new pressure campaign and its limits On Monday, July 14, US President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum: Russia has 50 days to reach a peace agreement, or face "very severe" tariffs on its exports - potentially as high as 100%. The move signals a shift from rhetorical posturing to a time-bound strategy aimed at forcing negotiations. While Trump's statement made waves in Washington and Europe, it is the reaction from Moscow that may prove most consequential. In this roundup, RT presents a cross-section of views from Russian political analysts, foreign policy scholars, and institutional insiders - voices that provide a window into how the American ultimatum is being interpreted in Russia. Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at HSE University: Trump's remarks are a major setback for any meaningful progress on Ukraine and will likely freeze US-Russia normalization for the foreseeable future. Zelensky now has no incentive to engage in serious negotiations with Moscow or consider the terms outlined in the Russian ceasefire memorandum. Meanwhile, the European 'party of war' will seize on Trump's statements as cover to promise Ukraine an endless stream of military aid - further escalating the conflict. The result? No truce, no talks, just a deepening of hostilities. Kiev may even walk away from the Istanbul peace process in the coming months - unless the battlefield situation shifts dramatically in Ukraine's favor. Dmitry Suslov. Sputnik/Evgeny Odinokov As for US-Russia relations, they were already at a standstill. Washington had effectively put dialogue on hold. Now, that pause could drag on indefinitely. When Trump issues ultimatums, sets arbitrary deadlines, and threatens Russia's key trading partners with 100% tariffs, it's clear there's no space for normalization - or cooperation. That said, unlike the Biden administration, Trump's team appears committed to keeping diplomatic channels open with Moscow, regardless of whether there's progress on Ukraine. But this isn't an opening for a settlement on Russia's terms. Trump's goal is to pressure Moscow into compromise - something that simply isn't going to happen. His statement also signals that he has no intention of letting Congress dictate US foreign policy. He wants full control over tariffs - their size, timing, and structure. That's why it's entirely possible he'll tweak or delay his self-imposed deadline. Ivan Timofeev, program director of the Valdai Club: 1. Trump is frustrated with Moscow's position on Ukraine. Russia has refused to freeze the conflict on terms favorable to the US and Kiev - a signal that Trump sees dialogue as having hit a dead end. 2. The Lindsey Graham sanctions bill is now much more likely to pass. Among other things, it would authorize secondary tariffs of up to 500% on countries that import Russian oil and other raw materials. While the US president already has the power to impose these measures unilaterally under IEEPA, the bill would bring Congress into alignment and add yet another layer to the already sprawling legal web of sanctions on Russia. Ivan Timofeev. Sputnik/Vladimir Trefilov 3. Trump would have full discretion over these secondary tariffs. That could mean 100%, 500%, or anything in between - and he could calibrate them differently depending on bilateral relations. For example, India might face lower tariffs, China higher ones - or he might apply them uniformly. The Iran sanctions precedent shows that countries which reduced oil purchases were granted exemptions as a reward for 'good behavior'. 4. A coordinated pushback from the Global South is unlikely. Trump has already been pressuring both allies and neutral countries with new tariffs since April - and most are caving. Even China is treading carefully. So in the short term, we may see reduced purchases of Russian commodities simply out of a desire to avoid Trump's wrath. Alternatively, countries may demand a higher risk premium. While there's a lot of rhetorical support for Russia in the Global South, few are willing to stick their necks out when it comes to action. 5. Trump's 50-day deadline amounts to an ultimatum. Moscow will almost certainly ignore it, making the imposition of secondary tariffs a highly probable - perhaps even default - scenario. That said, Russia isn't without leverage, limited though it may be. And it's clearly preparing for a hardline path. Tight global commodity markets and well-established export channels work in Russia's favor. 6. This may mark the end of backchannel diplomacy on Ukraine. Sanctions will be ramped up, and arms deliveries to Kiev are likely to intensify. Russia, for its part, will maintain military pressure. We're back to a familiar standoff: The West betting on economic collapse in Russia, while Moscow counts on Ukraine's military defeat and the West's internal turmoil. But after three years, it's clear neither side's assumptions have panned out. Sanctions haven't broken Russia's resolve, and the war effort is now on a new long-term footing. 7. The optimism in Russian markets is puzzling. Yes, sanctions haven't been imposed just yet - which some investors may have hoped for - but the risk landscape has only worsened. The current rally looks short-lived. Those banking on a quick end to sanctions may be in for a long wait. Timofey Bordachev, professor at the Higher School of Economics: In theater or film, 'playing a scene' means performing a role convincingly - conveying emotions, building a character, advancing the plot. Donald Trump does that rather well. He seems to grasp a fundamental truth: Bold moves between nuclear superpowers are dangerous precisely because they are impossible. They risk the irreversible - and Trump clearly wants no part of that. On some level, he understands that the diplomatic chess match will drag on indefinitely, and that there are no clean resolutions. Still, the show must go on - and the audience must be entertained. Timofey Bordachev. Sputnik/Irina Motina That's why Trump substitutes real strategy with theatrics: Shifting arms deliveries to NATO, proposing a new financing scheme for Kiev, tossing around tariff threats against Russia and its trading partners. It's about constantly filling the political space with action - or at least the illusion of it - to avoid the impression of paralysis or failure. If no progress is made on Ukraine within 50 days, he'll unveil a new plan that overwrites the old one. None of these announcements should be treated as final or irreversible - and in that, Trump is perfectly in tune with the nature of today's international politics. His behavior isn't a deviation - it's a reflection of the system. Maxim Suchkov, director of the Institute for International Studies at MGIMO University: Trump's statement brings both good and bad news for Moscow. The good news is that the final decision was largely predictable - no surprises, no sudden turns. As is often the case with Trump, the 'teaser' for his policy was more dramatic than the main act. Europe wants to continue the war - and Trump is happy to let it pay the price. For now, he's held back from embracing the more radical measures proposed by the hawks in his circle, which means dialogue with Washington is still on the table. The bad news: After six months in office, Trump still hasn't grasped Russia's position or understood President Putin's logic. It's as if the repeated visits to Moscow by Steve Witkoff never even registered with him. More broadly, Trump seems to have learned very little about this conflict. And that's a problem - because without some form of resolution and a working relationship with Moscow, key elements of Trump's domestic agenda simply aren't achievable. Maxim Suchkov. Sputnik/Kirill Zykov Either he genuinely believes the Ukraine conflict can be settled by setting a deadline and hoping for the best - or he just doesn't care. Maybe this is just his way of playing global peacemaker: Making noise, tossing out promises to fix everything, knowing full well there will be no political consequences if he fails. American voters won't judge him on Ukraine. Which scenario is worse is anyone's guess. But one thing is clear: If anyone still had hopes for this administration to play a serious role in ending the conflict, those hopes look misplaced. Whether they were premature - or already outdated - we'll find out in 50 days. Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs: If you strip Trump's latest White House remarks down to their essence, one thing stands out: He still desperately wants to avoid becoming a full party to the conflict - in other words, he doesn't want a head-on confrontation with Russia. That's why he keeps repeating that this is "Biden's war," not his. From Trump's perspective, what he announced is a cautious, compromise-driven approach. First, the tariffs he's threatening on Russian commodities - and let's be clear, these aren't 'sanctions' in his lexicon - have been postponed until the fall. Just like in other cases, the offer of negotiations remains open. Second, the US won't be sending weapons to Ukraine directly. Deliveries will go through Europe, and only on a full-cost basis - meaning the Europeans will foot the bill. To Trump, that's not direct confrontation with Moscow - it's a way to nudge the parties toward talks. Fyodor Lukyanov. Sputnik/Kristina Kormilitsyna We can set aside the usual flood of self-congratulation and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's over-the-top flattery - that's all part of the ritual now. Russia is unlikely to see this as a genuine invitation to dialogue. It's pressure - and the Russian leadership doesn't respond to pressure. It's also a worsening, though perhaps not a dramatic one, of the military situation for Russian forces, which naturally elicits a response. But Moscow won't engage in verbal sparring. There's no point. The conversation is now happening on the battlefield. Most likely, we've reached the end of the first phase of US-Russia relations under Trump - a six-month stretch now drawing to a close. When the next phase begins, and what it looks like, remains anyone's guess. Dmitry Novikov, associate professor at the Higher School of Economics: Trump's bombastic statement - supplemented by his Q&A with reporters - boils down to three core messages. First, the objective hasn't changed: Washington still wants a deal on Ukraine, but only on terms acceptable to the US. Second, the carrot for Moscow remains the same: Promises of good political relations ('talking to Putin is always pleasant') and vague suggestions of future economic cooperation ('Russia has enormous potential'). Third, the stick - for now - isn't particularly impressive. The announcement of Patriot systems for Ukraine is just the latest iteration of something Trump and his team have floated before: Boosting Kiev's air defenses to protect against Russian strikes. And that, it seems, bothers Trump more than the frontline situation itself. He's criticized Russia before for deep strikes into Ukrainian territory, and he did it again this time - presumably after being shown some grim images. Dmitry Novikov. As for other weapons, there were no specifics - just the familiar 'billions of dollars in military aid' line. The introduction of 100% secondary tariffs, delayed by 50 days, appears to be Trump's main instrument of coercion. As an economic determinist, he likely believes this is his most powerful and effective threat. But whether it will actually be implemented is unclear. Previous efforts to squeeze Russian energy exports - price caps, import bans - didn't exactly shut the flow. Russia adapted. In essence, the message is more psychological than strategic: You've got 50 days. After that, I'll 'get serious'. But Trump left one key question unanswered: How far is the US actually willing to go if there's no progress after 50 days? If tariffs are the endgame, and Washington backs off after that, that's one scenario. But if those tariffs are just the prelude to broader military or political escalation, that's something else entirely. Trump deliberately keeps things murky, leaning on the old idea that 'a threat is more powerful than an attack'. He seems to be counting on Moscow to imagine the worst. Nikolai Topornin, director of the Center for European Information: With his latest statement, Trump didn't just leave a crack open for Russia - he threw the window wide. He made clear he expects a practical response from Moscow within the next 50 days. As things stand, nothing prevents Russia from acting on the terms previously discussed with Trump: Initiating a 30-day ceasefire and entering talks with Kiev to start hashing out a concrete peace agreement. Of course, the problem remains that many of Russia's proposals are fundamentally at odds with Ukraine's position. Still, from a diplomatic standpoint, the ball is now in Moscow's court. And Kiev, in the meantime, comes out as the clear short-term beneficiary of Trump's announcement. Nikolai Topornin. Sputnik/Alexander Natruskin We can expect the usual statements from Moscow rejecting the pressure - that sanctions don't scare Russia. And it's true that US-Russia trade is already near zero. There are no billion-dollar contracts left to speak of. Most economic ties were severed back in the Biden era. Washington has already imposed sweeping sanctions on Russian businesses and the financial sector. So if nothing changes over the next 50 days, the US will likely continue expanding military aid to Ukraine - but on a pragmatic basis. In doing so, Washington can channel European funding to keep its own defense industry running at full speed. Sergey Oznobishchev, head of the Military-Political Analysis and Research Projects Section at IMEMO RAS: Trump needs to save face. He once vowed to end the conflict in a single day - but that hasn't happened. Russia isn't backing down, isn't agreeing to a ceasefire with Ukraine, and isn't halting its offensive. There's nothing Trump can point to and sell as even a partial fulfillment of that campaign promise. So now he's under pressure to act. He's signaling to Moscow that he expects some kind of reciprocal move - and he's trying to extract it through a mix of diplomatic pressure and economic threats. Sergey Oznobishchev. What exactly Trump discussed with the Russian president remains unclear. But it's likely that Russia's core position was laid out: Full control over the territories now enshrined in its constitution. Russia simply cannot walk away from those claims. It's even possible that Trump's 50-day deadline is meant as a tacit acknowledgment of that reality - a window for Russia to consolidate its hold before talks resume. That would be his version of compromise. Trump often opens negotiations with bold, hardline offers - the kind you 'can't refuse', as American political lore puts it - only to walk them back later and land somewhere in the middle. That's his style, drawn straight from the world of business deals: Apply pressure first, then strike a bargain. Of course, these latest announcements - especially the pledge to send weapons - will only increase criticism of Trump within Russia. Still, this isn't the harshest stance he could have taken. It's a tough message, but one that still leaves room for maneuver. Nikolai Silayev, senior research fellow at the Institute for International Studies, MGIMO University: I wouldn't say we're standing at the brink of a new escalation. Trump hasn't endorsed the sanctions bill currently under discussion in Congress. Instead, he's talking about imposing 100% tariffs by executive order - just as he's done in the past. In doing so, he's clearly distancing himself from that legislation. There are no immediate sanctions coming. The 50-day timeline he mentioned is just the latest in a series of deadlines he's floated before. Nikolai Silayev. Sputnik/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky On the one hand, Trump wants to avoid sliding back into the kind of confrontation with Russia that defined the Biden era. On the other, he doesn't want to see Ukraine defeated - nor is he willing to accept a Russian ceasefire on Moscow's terms, since that could be spun as a US loss, and by extension, a personal failure. He keeps repeating that this is "Biden's war" - but the longer it drags on, the more it becomes his own. As for the Patriots, it's Europe that will be footing the bill. Trump didn't promise any new funding from the US budget. What remains to be seen is how many systems and missiles the US defense industry can actually produce - and how many European countries are willing to buy. From Moscow's perspective, this is still the US arming Ukraine. Washington is also continuing to share intelligence and support logistics. No one in the Kremlin is going to say, 'Thank you, Grandpa Trump - now you're just a vendor'. That's not how this will be seen. Sergey Poletaev, political commentator: The scale of this conflict is such that no single move - not by the US, not by Russia, not by anyone - can produce a sudden breakthrough. The only person who could do that is Vladimir Zelensky - by surrendering. There's no weapon system that could fundamentally change the course of this war, short of nuclear arms. And the only other game-changer would be direct involvement by the US or NATO - but if they'd wanted that, they would've intervened long ago. As for Trump's tariff threats against Russia and its trading partners - that's really just kicking the can down the road for another 50 days. Classic Trump. Sergey Poletaev. From Russia's standpoint, we're not shipping anything to the US anyway. As for our trading partners - yes, we're talking about China and India. But this move would only add to the contradictions in Trump's chaotic tariff diplomacy, where every issue is approached through economic threats. I don't think it's going to work. I don't see how Trump thinks he can pressure India. China - maybe. But Beijing is already staring down a whole slew of tariff threats. One more won't make things easier - just worse. If anything, it will reinforce the idea that the US sees China as vulnerable to pressure. And that's not a message China will take lightly. Konstantin Kosachev, Russian senator and foreign affairs specialist: If this is all Trump had to say about Ukraine today, then the hype was definitely overblown. Most of Lindsey Graham's alarmist fantasies remain just that - fantasies. A 500% sanctions package makes little practical sense. As for Europe, it looks like they'll keep picking up the tab - again and again. What they thought was free cheese turned out to be a trap. The only true beneficiary here is the US defense industry. Konstantin Kosachev. Sputnik/Ilya Pitalev Ukraine, meanwhile, is left to fight until the last Ukrainian - a fate they seem to have chosen for themselves. But 50 days is a long time. A lot can change - on the battlefield, in Washington, and in NATO capitals. What matters most, though, is that none of this has any real impact on our own determination. At least, that's how I see it. Alexander Dugin, political philosopher and commentator: Trump has given Russia 50 days to complete the job: To fully liberate our four regions, take Kharkov, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk - and ideally, Kiev. After that, he's promised to get truly angry and hit back with 100% tariffs on our key oil buyers - India and China. That's a serious threat. Alexander Dugin. Sputnik/Mikhail Kireev So now we have 50 days to finish what we've left unfinished over the past 25 years. This is precisely the kind of moment captured in the old Russian saying: 'We take a long time to harness the horses, but we ride fast'. Given the circumstances, I believe any weapons can be used, against any targets. We have 50 days to win. (
