Washington has set a deadline for Russia to agree to end the Ukraine war by Friday, warning of new sanctions. Trump's tone has shifted from conciliatory to a more threatening stance due to Russia's ongoing defiance. The Kremlin has downplayed the significance of Trump's military announcements and cautioned against escalating nuclear tensions. Despite sanctions, Russia's economy reportedly grew over 4% last year. The U.S. is considering implementing secondary sanctions against countries like India to curb economic engagement with Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the significance of Mr Trump's announcement about moving the submarines, saying: "We do not believe that we are talking about any escalation now." He noted that "everyone should be careful about nuclear rhetoric", adding: "There can be no winner in a nuclear war."
Mr Trump's previously conciliatory posture towards the Kremlin has taken on a menacing tone in response to Moscow's continuing stonewalling and defiance.
The US president's frustration at being strung along for months by Putin is clearly at breaking point. There is no sign of an end to fighting in Ukraine.
The thinking now in Washington is to use secondary sanctions - hitting countries such as India and others that may continue to engage economically with Russia.
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