Moscow Dismisses Trump's 'Theatrical Ultimatum'
Russia gave a mixed response to Trump's 50-day Ukraine ultimatum. The Kremlin called the threat "serious" and said it was ready for talks, while another top official had earlier dismissed it as a "theatrical" ploy.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Russia on Tuesday offered a mixed response to US President Donald Trump’s 50-day ultimatum to end the war in Ukraine, with the Kremlin calling the threat "serious" just hours after another top official dismissed it as a "theatrical" ploy Moscow "didn't care" about.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia was ready for fresh talks with Kyiv. "President Trump's statement is very serious. We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington," Peskov said, adding that Moscow was "waiting for proposals from the Ukrainian side on the timing of the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations."
This more measured tone from the Kremlin contrasted sharply with an earlier statement from Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. In Moscow’s first official reaction reported by the state news agency TASS, Medvedev wrote on the X social platform, "Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin... Russia didn’t care."
Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin.
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) July 15, 2025
The world shuddered, expecting the consequences.
Belligerent Europe was disappointed.
Russia didn’t care.
The varied reactions came after Trump announced on Monday a 50-day deadline for Russia to reach a deal on Ukraine, threatening "very severe" 100% secondary tariffs on Russia and its trading partners if the deadline is not met.
Simultaneously, Trump unveiled a new arrangement for European NATO allies to purchase and send U.S.-manufactured weapons to Ukraine. "We've made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons and they're gonna be paying for them," Trump said. "The United States will not be having any payment made."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who was present for the announcement, called the decision "really big" and suggested it would pressure Moscow. "If I was Vladimir Putin today and hear you speaking about what you were planning to do in fifty days and these announcements, I would reconsider whether I should not take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously," Rutte stated.
Trump, who expressed disappointment that a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin had not already been reached, said of his past conversations, "ultimately, talk doesn't talk. It's gotta be action.”
Updated on Tuesday, at 01:10 PM.
