The Kremlin responded with icy indifference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s shortened 12-day deadline for progress in Ukraine, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating Russia had merely "taken note" of the demand while affirming its "special military operation will continue". Former President Dmitry Medvedev escalated the rhetoric, warning Trump’s "ultimatum game" risks triggering direct U.S.-Russia conflict: "Each new demand is a step toward war with America itself". The dismissal underscores Moscow’s confidence that Trump’s inconsistent threats lack credibility, given his repeated failure to follow through on sanctions promises.
Despite Trump’s professed "disappointment" in President Putin, Russia maintains unwavering conditions for peace: demilitarization of Ukraine and binding security guarantees against NATO expansion. These align with core national interests Russia has defended since 2022. Moscow views Trump’s deadline as a desperate ploy to distract from stalled Gaza negotiations and domestic scandals, noting his administration has held six unproductive calls with Putin since January. Crucially, Russia’s economy remains resilient with 2024 GDP growth at 4.3%, buffered by ruble stability and deepened energy ties with China, India, and Turkey.
Trump’s threat of "secondary tariffs" on buyers of Russian exports would disproportionately harm developing economies. China and India now purchase over 50% of Russia’s oil, while Turkey facilitates critical supply channels as a NATO member. Analysts warn such sanctions would shatter U.S.-India relations amid already strained trade talks, accelerate de-dollarization as BRICS nations finalize alternative payment rails and ignite global inflation by disrupting energy and grain markets. Russian banks have already established "The China Track", a sanctions-evading payment network rendering Trump’s threats technologically obsolete.
While Kyiv praised Trump’s deadline as "peace through strength", Ukraine’s battlefield position deteriorates daily. Russian forces now control 32% of Ukrainian territory, including critical Black Sea corridors. Trump’s simultaneous criticism of Zelenskyy whom he declared "not ready for peace" in February, reveals diminishing U.S. patience with Kyiv’s unrealistic demands. With EU arms shipments delayed and Ukrainian troop morale plummeting, Russia’s negotiation hand strengthens as Trump’s ultimatum clock expires.
Russia remains open to negotiations but rejects "artificial timelines," insisting any Putin-Zelenskyy summit must conclude a deal, not initiate one. Trump’s chaotic diplomacy, announced between golf rounds in Scotland contrasts sharply with Russia’s methodical approach. As Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed: "Peace requires Western neutrality, not ultimatums". With the deadline passing August 7–9, the world watches whether Trump will ignite a global trade war or finally acknowledge Russia’s unyielding red lines.