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Kremlin calls Trump's tariff warnings 'quite serious'

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Kremlin calls Trump's tariff warnings 'quite serious'
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on June 6, 2024 (Anton Vaganov / POOL / AFP)

A Kremlin spokesperson called on July 15 U.S. President Donald Trump's warnings of "severe" tariffs "serious" but said Moscow needs time to analyze the message from Washington.

Trump's remarks came during a July 14 White House press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, where the U.S. president threatened to impose 100% "secondary tariffs" on Russia if a peace deal in Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.

"This statement from the U.S. president is quite serious. Some of what he said appears to be addressed personally to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Russian state-controlled news outlet RBC.

"We undoubtedly need time to analyze what was said in Washington. If and when President Putin considers it necessary, he will comment on it."

Trump expressed frustration with Putin's actions, saying he had expected an agreement months ago.

"I speak to Putin a lot about getting this done, and then missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city," he said. In recent weeks, Russia has significantly intensified its air attacks on Ukrainian cities, targeting civilian infrastructure and causing numerous civilian casualties.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chair and former President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed Trump's warning as a "theatrical ultimatum."

"The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn't care," Medvedev wrote on X.

During their joint conference, Rutte and Trump also unveiled a NATO-coordinated plan to purchase and deliver advanced U.S.-made weapons, including air defense systems, to Ukraine.

Trump said NATO allies would fully finance the deliveries, which could be redistributed from European stocks and replaced through U.S. sales. Rutte said Ukraine would receive "massive numbers" of air defense systems, missiles, and ammunition.

Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas welcomed Trump's tough rhetoric but criticized the timeline.

"On one hand, it is very positive that President Trump is taking on a strong stance on Russia... On the other hand, 50 days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians," she said.

Trump reportedly asked Zelensky if Ukraine could strike Moscow
Donald Trump encouraged the strategy so that Russia could “feel the pain” and agree to negotiations, the Financial Times reported, citing its sources.
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Anna Fratsyvir

Assistant Opinion Editor

Anna Fratsyvir is an assistant opinion editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, and as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

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By infiltrating Ukrainian positions in small infantry groups, Russia has accumulated around 200 troops within Pokrovsk, the General Staff reported. These personnel are engaging in "intense" small arms and drone clashes with Ukrainian troops in the city.

While Ukraine also lacks Western-supplied weapons, soldiers and commanders say shortages of basics — cars, drones and people — make holding back Russia extremely difficult. Even as Kyiv seeks U.S. approval for Tomahawks, they say critical, rudimentary gear is the more pressing need.

Russia faces an increase in the arson and “spontaneous combustion” of electrical panels, railway relay cabinets, and other infrastructure helping Moscow wage its war against Ukraine over the past week, a source at Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

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The episode covers Russian war crimes in Pokrovsk and continued attacks on Ukrainian cities, including missile strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv. While Moscow continues to reject a ceasefire with Ukraine, has President Trump finally shifted his approach to Russia?

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