"US President Donald Trump has issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world is worried and anticipating the outcome, belligerent Europe is disappointed, but Russia is unconcerned", Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev posted on X today.

Medvedev's statement came a day after President Trump warned of imposing a 100% tariff if Russia did not resolve the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days. He also threatened secondary sanctions.

A White House official later explained that Trump was referring to "secondary sanctions" targeting countries that purchase Russian exports. This was seen as a threat aimed at the Russian oil sector, intended to weaken Moscow's ability to withstand stringent Western sanctions.

Medvedev attends a meeting in Dubna in 6/2024. Photo: Reuters

Medvedev attends a meeting in Dubna in 6/2024. Photo: Reuters

In an interview published by the BBC today, the US president reiterated his disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but added that this did not mean the two leaders had ceased communication. When asked if he trusted Putin, Trump replied, "I trust almost no one".

Russia exports very few goods to the US, less than 5 billion USD in 2023, and the figure has decreased in subsequent years. Therefore, tariffs would not significantly impact Russia. Meanwhile, sanctions targeting Moscow's energy sector and customers could cause more damage.

Since taking office, President Trump has made moves to improve relations with Russia, promoting peaceful measures to end the conflict in Ukraine. However, he has recently expressed dissatisfaction with his counterpart, Putin, as negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict have stalled and Moscow has intensified its attacks on its neighbor.

Russia maintains its stance of being ready to end the conflict through diplomatic means, but emphasizes that it must be a legally binding solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict.

Huyen Le (Reuters, TASS, AFP)