Washington, United States – US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his country will impose sanctions on Russia if it continues its war with Ukraine.
“We will impose more sanctions on Russia if it does not respond to us and continues its war with Ukraine,” Trump told reporters at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania.
But Trump said Russia “seems good at avoiding sanctions”, adding, “They are Macron and very good at avoiding sanctions, so we will see what happens”, and continued, saying that his envoy, Steve Witkov, may visit Russia on Wednesday or Thursday.
On Saturday, Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines in “appropriate areas”, in response to statements by Russian Security Council Vice President Dmitry Medvedev.
Trump said in a tweet on his Truth Social account: “Based on the highly provocative statements made by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, I have issued orders to station two nuclear submarines in appropriate areas in anticipation that these reckless and seditious statements may be more than just words”.
Statements and counter-statements
The US President did not specify the type of submarines or their location, and the Pentagon usually keeps the submarines’ movements or locations secret.
Medvedev said last week that Trump should remember that Russia is not Israel or Iran and the language of “alarms” represents a step towards war.
Commenting on Trump’s statement about shortening the deadline for reaching a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Medvedev continued, saying that this is “a step towards war”.
Medvedev wrote on the X platform: “Trump is playing the game of ultimatums with Russia: 50 days or 10 days.. He has to remember two things: First, Russia is not Israel, nor even Iran. Secondly, every new warning represents a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his country.”
Earlier in July, Trump threatened to impose “strict” tariffs on Russia’s trading partners if Moscow did not agree to a ceasefire within 50 days, giving Russian President Vladimir Putin until September 2.
But during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said he would reduce the deadline he gave Putin from 50 days “to a smaller number”, saying this could be “10 or 12 days”.
Trump justified the move by saying he was disappointed with Putin, who showed no willingness to compromise.
