Russia has pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest warning of steep tariffs, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying Tuesday that Moscow is prepared to handle any new sanctions, even as he questioned the motive behind Trump’s threats.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers’ meeting in China, Lavrov said, “We want to understand what the U.S. president is driven by. But I have no doubt we will cope with new sanctions.”
Trump’s Ultimatum
Lavrov’s remarks came a day after President Trump issued a 50-day ultimatum to Russia, threatening to impose “secondary tariffs” of up to 100% if Moscow doesn’t agree to a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
“We’re very, very unhappy with them,” Trump said on Monday. “And we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days—tariffs at about 100 percent.”
Trump also described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “tough guy,” adding, “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy. That’s been proven over many years.”
Russian Officials Call Threats ‘Unacceptable’
Earlier in the day, senior Russian officials condemned Trump’s tariff warning and labeled the ultimatum unacceptable.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated via state-run outlet Tass, “Any attempt to issue demands—especially in the form of ultimatums—is unacceptable to us.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov added that Trump’s comments seemed to target President Putin personally. “The latest statements from the U.S. president are very serious. Something in them concerns President Putin personally,” Peskov said. “We will certainly need time to analyze the rhetoric coming out of Washington.”
Ongoing War, Mounting Casualties
The renewed U.S. pressure comes as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year. While exact casualty figures remain undisclosed by both sides, U.S. officials estimate that around 1.2 million people have been injured or killed since the conflict began, according to Reuters.
Trump’s hardline stance marks an escalation in his trade and foreign policy approach, raising uncertainty around global markets and diplomatic relations with Russia, already strained by years of sanctions and political tensions.
