Moscow (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Kremlin stated on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks, including a threat of sanctions on buyers of Russian exports, are serious and require analysis.
In a significant policy shift demonstrating his increasing frustration with President Vladimir Putin, Trump stated on Monday that the United States will be sending more weapons to Ukraine and warned that people purchasing Russian exports may be punished unless Russia accepts a peace proposal on Ukraine.
Questioned about Trump’s recent comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated:
“The U.S. president’s statements are very serious. Some of them are addressed personally to President Putin.”
“We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington. And if and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will definitely comment.”
Peskov continued, referring apparently to reports of new weapons flow to Kyiv,
“Decisions which are being made in Washington, in NATO countries, and squarely in Brussels, are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal for peace, but as a signal to continue the war.”
He also reiterated that Russia is in a position to engage with Ukraine directly and is looking for a signal from Kyiv on when to conduct its next talks.
Why does Trump feel disappointed but not done with Putin?
U.S. President Donald Trump stated he is “not done” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as reported in a BBC interview published on Tuesday. This came hours after Trump expressed disappointment in Putin and warned Moscow of possible sanctions.
Trump told the BBC four times that he believed a Ukraine deal involving Russia was likely.
Asked then by the BBC, he was done with Putin, Trump said:
“I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him. But I’m disappointed in him”.
When asked how Trump would persuade Putin to “stop the bloodshed,” the U.S. president replied:
“We’re working on it.”
“We’ll have a great conversation. I’ll say: ‘That’s good, I’ll think we’re close to getting it done,’ and then he’ll knock down a building in Kyiv,”
Trump told the BBC.
What weapons is the US sending to Ukraine now?
President Donald Trump publicly confirmed in a press statement Monday that the United States will provide Ukraine billions of dollars of advanced weapons, including the sought-after Patriot air defense missile systems.
The new military assistance will be funneled through NATO, but in a significant shift in policy, the funding for the military assistance will come from NATO allies rather than the United States. Along with additional Patriot missile batteries, all of which are necessary to defend against ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
