Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to publicly respond to the 50-day ultimatum issued by U.S. President Donald Trump demanding an end to the war in Ukraine—or face sweeping 100% tariffs. But Moscow’s first reaction, delivered Tuesday by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, was blunt: “Russia doesn’t care.”
Medvedev, now deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, took to social media platform X to mock the announcement made jointly by Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Monday.
“Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed,” Medvedev wrote.
“Russia didn’t care.”
Trump’s New Deadline Draws Mixed Global Reaction
The ultimatum came alongside a major NATO arms package announcement, in which Trump and Rutte revealed new military aid plans and warned that failure by Moscow to reach a ceasefire within 50 days would trigger severe economic retaliation.
Though Rutte praised the U.S. president’s tough stance, European leaders were divided over its impact.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said the message was “strong,” but questioned the lengthy grace period.
“Fifty days is a long time, especially when innocent civilians are dying every day,” Kallas told reporters in Brussels. “Pressure is good, but the timeline raises concerns.”
Kyiv Welcomes Support, Questions the Clock
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also voiced skepticism, saying the support from Washington was appreciated, but questioned why Putin was given nearly two months to act.
“I don’t understand why the Kremlin is being given 50 days,” Klitschko told German outlet ARD, per the Kyiv Independent.
“In 50 days, more people could die, more homes could be destroyed. Why delay?”
Images from Kyiv have shown continued devastation from Russian strikes, including residential buildings reduced to rubble amid ongoing attacks.
Trump: “Nice Talks, Then Missiles Fly”
Addressing the press at the White House, Trump expressed frustration with Putin, saying he had believed a ceasefire deal had been close—multiple times.
“I speak to him a lot about ending this thing,” Trump said.
“I always hang up thinking, ‘Well, that was a nice call.’ Then missiles hit Kyiv, and I think, ‘Strange.’ After three or four times, you realize: talk means nothing.”
What Comes Next
Despite the Kremlin’s dismissive tone, Trump’s administration is pressing forward with plans to ramp up military support to Ukraine and economic penalties against Russia—unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal by the September 2 deadline.
As Putin remains silent, the world watches whether Trump’s pressure campaign will shift the course of the nearly four-year-old war—or further deepen the standoff.
