The Kremlin emphasizes that it “needs time” to “analyze” Trump’s words and does not rule out Putin responding
The Kremlin on Tuesday described as “very serious” the recent threats by US President Donald Trump regarding the possibility of imposing tariffs on Moscow if there is no ceasefire agreement in Ukraine within 50 days and stated that Russian authorities “need time” to “analyze” these statements by the White House resident.
“The statements by the US president are very serious. Some of them are directed directly at (Russian) President Putin,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. “We need time to analyze what has been said in Washington,” he said, before advocating “waiting for Putin’s decision on whether he will comment.”
However, he argued that the recent decisions taken by the United States and NATO “are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal for peace, but as a signal to continue the war,” before reiterating that Moscow is “willing” to hold a third round of contacts with Kyiv. “We have not yet received any proposals from Ukraine,” he concluded.
Trump stated on Monday that the main reason for his decision to threaten Russia with tariffs is his dissatisfaction with Putin over the lack of progress in ending a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, in remarks alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
He also stated in recent hours in statements to the British television network BBC that he is “disappointed” with Putin, although he emphasized that he has not yet made the decision to sever ties with him or abandon his efforts to promote a peace process that would end the war in Ukraine.
The US president has repeatedly criticized Putin in recent weeks over the increase in Russian attacks against various locations in Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, despite his efforts to achieve a ceasefire and activate a peace process, which have so far been unsuccessful.
