Moscow claimed things were still amicable with Washington as it ordered the conscription on 160,000 new Russian troops — despite PresidentTrump saying he was “pissed off”at Vladimir Putinfor delaying peace negotiations.
Trump shook up the Kremlin on Sunday when he voiced his first real rebuke of Putin after the Russian strongman called forUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyto be ousted by his own generals— and doubled down on his threat to whack Russian oil with tariffs if an end to the war isn’t reached within a month.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskovtried to downplay Trump’s outrage and insisted that Moscow and Washington are still actively working to rebuild relations after they were cut off under the Biden administration over the Ukraine invasion.
4
“We are also working on implementing some ideas related to the Ukrainian settlement,” Peskov told reporters. “The work is underway, so far there are no specifics that we would have to inform you about.”
But the Kremlin’s actions do not align with its words, with Putin on Monday ordering the conscription of 160,000 new troops between now and July 15, the Russian news agency Interfax reported Monday.
Peskov also rebuked Trump’s claim that the US and Russian presidents would be talking again this week, with the spokesman saying no such appointment was on the books, but it could be quickly organized “if necessary.”
The attempt at damage control comes after Trump doubled down on his threat and deadline for Putin, telling reporters on Air Force One Sunday night that he’s frustrated with Moscow’s repeated attacks on Zelensky.
“I was disappointed in a certain way. Some of the things that he [Putin] said over the last day or two having to do with Zelensky,” Trump said.
4
“Because when he considers Zelensky not credible — he’s supposed to be making a deal with him, whether you like him or you don’t like him. So I wasn’t happy with that,” Trump added.
Trump’s rebuke comes despite his own condemnation of Zelensky earlier this year, where he had echoed Moscow’s description of the Ukraine president as a “dictator.”
While Trump reiterated that he still had good relations with Putin, he said he was confident the Russian president would comply with his demands or face the consequences.
4
The president warned that Russia would be hit with a 25% to 50% tariff on all oil, as well as a slew of secondary tariffs, if a cease-fire deal isn’t reached within a month.
“I think he’s going to be good and I certainly wouldn’t want to put secondary tariffs on Russia, but, if they were put on, it would not be very good for them,” Trump warned.
The Trump administration continues to push for an end to the war to fulfill the president’s campaign promise, with the US securing two cease-fire agreements last week to halt attacks against each nation’s energy grid and in the busy Black Sea trade route.
Moscow, however, broke both agreements within hours and then called for a slew of new conditions to fulfill the deal, including for Europe to lift several economic sanctions against Russian businesses.
Both top Republicans and Baltic state leaders, who fear they would be next on Russia’s invasion path if Ukraine falls, have warned the president against taking Putin at his word.
