The Kremlin has minimized the significance of recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed to have ordered two nuclear submarines to move closer to Russian waters in response to provocative comments by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
In the first official response to Trump’s declaration made last Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the statement, emphasizing that such military deployments are not unusual.
"American submarines are on combat duty anyway,
Very complex, very sensitive issues are being discussed, which, of course, many perceive very emotionally,"
Peskov told reporters.
"Everyone should be very cautious with nuclear rhetoric."Trump did not specify whether the submarines in question were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed. The statement triggered global concern due to its ambiguous tone and the heightened tension surrounding U.S.-Russia relations.
Witkoff’s Moscow Visit Seen as Diplomatic Opportunity
Meanwhile, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow on Wednesday, according to reports in Russian media. Peskov welcomed the upcoming diplomatic engagement.
"We are always happy to see Mr Witkoff in Moscow,
We consider such contact important, meaningful and useful,"
he said, adding that a meeting between Witkoff and President Vladimir Putin was not ruled out.Background: Trump’s Threats and Medvedev’s Provocations
Trump’s decision reportedly came in response to what he described as “highly provocative” online statements from Dmitry Medvedev, who has increasingly embraced hawkish rhetoric since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
While not addressing Medvedev’s post directly, Peskov noted:
"In every country, members of the leadership may have different points of view,
But in Russia, foreign policy is determined solely by President Putin."Medvedev has not responded to Trump’s remarks and has remained inactive on X (formerly Twitter) since his controversial post.
Peace Ultimatum and Threat of New Tariffs
Trump has set a new deadline—Friday, August 8—for Russia to agree to a peace deal, threatening sweeping tariffs and secondary sanctions targeting Russian exports, particularly oil, should Moscow fail to comply.
Despite these threats, Trump acknowledged that Russia had become “pretty good at avoiding sanctions”, underscoring the limitations of Western pressure on Moscow.
Trump Criticizes India for Ties with Russia
In a rare criticism of India, Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social that he would “substantially” increase tariffs on Indian imports over the country’s ongoing oil trade with Russia.
"India doesn’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,"
he wrote, using uncharacteristically blunt language against the U.S. ally.On the Ground: Escalating Conflict and Failed Diplomacy
Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine since spring have yielded no breakthrough. Last week, Putin reaffirmed that Russia’s goals in the war remain the same:
"To eradicate the reasons for the crisis in Ukraine and ensure Russia’s security."Moscow’s demands include Ukraine renouncing NATO ambitions, scaling down its military, and adopting a neutral stance—conditions Kyiv and its Western allies have flatly rejected.
Casualties Mount as Fighting Continues
Amidst the diplomatic posturing, human suffering on both sides continues. Overnight strikes between Sunday and Monday killed four people in Zaporizhzhia and one in Kherson. A separate attack on Kyiv last week resulted in at least 31 deaths and 159 injuries.
Ukraine, in turn, claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a Russian airbase in occupied Crimea, reportedly destroying one fighter jet and damaging others.