The Kremlin on Thursday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on the Ukraine war as offering nothing new but reiterated its openness to “mutually respectful” dialogue with Washington.
On Wednesday, Trump warned of additional sanctions against Russia unless it agreed to a deal to end its nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine.
“We do not see any particularly new elements,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Trump’s comments.
Peskov remarked that during Trump’s first presidency, it was evident he had a penchant for sanctions, adding that Moscow is “closely monitoring” his statements.
“Nevertheless, we remain ready for dialogue—equal, mutually respectful dialogue,” Peskov said.
Expectations of U.S.-Russia Talks
There is growing speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump could have a phone conversation about the conflict in the coming days.
This comes as Russian forces have recently made critical advances on the battlefield. Meanwhile, both Moscow and Kyiv have intensified aerial strikes on targets far from the front lines, signaling an escalation in the conflict.
On his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump urged Putin to negotiate a deal “now,” threatening “high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions” as leverage.
Russia’s Stance on Sanctions
The Kremlin has consistently downplayed the impact of Western sanctions imposed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
While acknowledging the economic challenges, Peskov said Thursday that these were comparable to issues faced by other countries and stressed that Russia has the resources to fulfill “all military needs.”
Moscow remains defiant in the face of international pressure, maintaining that it is prepared for both dialogue and the continuation of its military operations.
