 "President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019. Reuters File")
Russia on Thursday responded to US President Donald Trump’s remarks on the Ukraine war saying that it is “ready for mutually respectful dialogue” with him.
“We do not see any particularly new elements,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, asked about Trump’s comments. He added that Trump’s first presidency proved that he “likes” sanctions and that Russia is “closely” following the statements he makes.
Trump on Wednesday threatened more sanctions against Moscow if his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin does not agree to end the war.
“If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries,” he said on Truth Social.
He, however, added that the US does not intend to “hurt Russia” and that he has “always had a very good relationship with President Putin.”
“All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE,” he said.
The Republican leader emphasised that a ceasefire deal should be reached between Russia and Ukraine by saying, “It’s time to ‘MAKE A DEAL.’” He further said that if the war would have never begun had he been the president at the time.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRussia already faces crushing US sanctions over the war since invading Ukraine in 2022 and trade has slowed to a trickle. Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden’s administration imposed sweeping sanctions against Moscow’s energy sector earlier this month.
The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed the barrage of Western sanctions that it has been hit with since ordering troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Peskov on Thursday conceded that Russia faced economic “problems” – “as all countries” – but said Russia had the resources to meet “all military requirements.”
(With inputs from AFP)