Russia Stays Course Following US Submarine And Tariff Threat

US President Donald Trump over the weekend ordered two nuclear submarines to be repositioned to “appropriate regions” in response to escalating tensions with Russia over the stalled Ukraine peace talks – and a heated social media exchange, with the Kremlin signaling no shift in its position ahead of Trump’s ceasefire deadline, Al Jazeera reported. 

Tensions began escalating Friday following a war of words between Trump and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on social media after the US president warned that Moscow must agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by this Friday or face a new package of economic sanctions. 

Medvedev, who is currently deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, warned that the threat was “a step toward war” and accused Trump of “playing the ultimatum game.”  

Trump called Medvedev’s words “foolish and inflammatory” and announced the deployment of the submarines as a precautionary step.  

It’s unclear which submarines were deployed or where they were repositioned. 

Analysts say the move came amid growing frustration in Washington over the lack of progress in ending Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. Despite previous pledges to resolve the conflict within 24 hours of taking office, Trump’s diplomatic overtures have yielded little progress.  

Trump has also lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he is “disappointed” with the Russian leader, while criticizing recent Russian airstrikes on Kyiv. 

Putin and other Russian officials have not directly commented on Trump’s statements.  

Still, Russian lawmaker Viktor Vodolatsky dismissed the threat, claiming Russia has “significantly more nuclear submarines in the world’s oceans” than the US and that American subs have “long been under their control.” 

Separately, the Russian president said Friday that he hoped for a “long and lasting peace” with Ukraine but claimed that battlefield momentum favored Russian forces, Reuters added.

He avoided direct mention of Trump’s deadline of Aug. 8 to resolve the war but noted that negotiations must take place “calmly” and in private.  

Meanwhile, security analysts suggested that Trump’s order appeared to be symbolic, rather than operational, since US nuclear-powered submarines are routinely stationed around the globe as part of a policy of strategic deterrence.  

However, they called the move an “escalation of rhetoric” and cautioned it was inappropriate to invoke nuclear threats amid ongoing diplomacy.