Peace or Provocation? Russia Remains Calm Amid US Nuclear Threat

Moscow has refused to react to US President Donald Trump’s decision to send two nuclear submarines near Russia, and said it wants to avoid rhetorics regarding it.

In the first official response since Trump’s comments last Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said US submarines are usually on combat duty anyway, and the situation should not be seen as an escalation. “These are very sensitive matters that people may react to emotionally,” Peskov said. However, he added that all sides should be cautious when discussing nuclear issues.

Meanwhile, US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow on Wednesday, according to Russian news outlets.

Russia Urges Everyone to Be Cautious While Talking About Topics Related to Nuclear Weapons

Last week, Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to move to “appropriate regions” after what he described as “highly provocative” remarks by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. It’s unclear whether these submarines are nuclear-powered or carry nuclear weapons.

Earlier, Medvedev, had accused Trump of using threats against Russia after the US leader gave a new deadline to end the war in Ukraine.

Although Peskov did not talk about Medvedev’s remarks, he said that Russian foreign policy is set by President Vladimir Putin, even if others in the leadership express different views. Medvedev has not responded to Trump’s actions and hasn’t posted on X since the original comment.

Relations between the US and Russia improved after Trump first took office in 2017. However, he has recently questioned whether Putin is serious about ending the war, which began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

US Has Asked Russia to Give Accent to Ceasefire or Face Crippling Sanctions

Trump has now brought forward a deadline for Russia to agree to a peace deal. If no ceasefire is reached by Friday, 8 August, he has threatened to impose new sanctions and heavy tariffs, especially on Russian oil and exports.

Despite tensions, both sides remain in contact. Peskov welcomed Witkoff’s upcoming visit, saying such dialogue is “important and useful,” and hinted that Witkoff may meet with Putin.

Trump acknowledged that while Russia faces more sanctions than any other country, it has been effective in finding ways to bypass them.

So far, peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have failed. Just last week, Putin repeated Russia’s demands, including Ukraine giving up its NATO goals and reducing its military—conditions Kyiv and its Western allies refuse to accept.

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