Russia rejects Trump's ceasefire demand

The Kremlin turned thumbs-down on President Trump’s demand that Moscow accept a ceasefire in Ukraine within the next 50 days.

The Russians called the ultimatum unacceptable and promised to continue its aggression if diplomacy breaks down. 

Speaking to state-affiliated media on Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Mr. Trump’s demand that Moscow accept a ceasefire or face 100% secondary tariffs on nations that do business with Russia is antithetical to good diplomacy and urged Western leaders to take Russia’s position seriously. 

“The president of the Russian Federation has repeatedly said that we are ready to negotiate and the diplomatic path is preferable for us,” Mr. Ryabkov told Russia’s TASS news agency. “If we cannot achieve our goals through diplomacy, then the war in Ukraine will continue. This is an unshakable position. We would like Washington and NATO as a whole to take it with the utmost seriousness.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is taking Mr. Trump’s demands seriously and needs time to properly respond.

Mr. Trump announced his demands during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday, in which the president expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

“I’m disappointed in President Putin, because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but it doesn’t seem to get there,” he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “So based on that, we’re going to be doing secondary tariffs. If we don’t have a deal in 50 days, it’s very simple, and they’ll be at 100% and that’s the way it is.”

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called Mr. Trump’s shot a “theatrical ultimatum” and mocked watchers for thinking it would affect Russia’s actions. 

“The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care,” Mr. Medvedev wrote on X.

Some in Ukraine found Mr. Trump’s time limit too generous, noting that the ultimatum still gives Russia more than a month to continue its bombing. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Tuesday he’s happy with increased military support from the U.S. but questioned why Mr. Putin was given 50 days. 

“In 50 days, many more people could be killed in the capital and throughout Ukraine, many more buildings could be damaged,” he said on German TV this week. “Therefore: Why such a delay?”

According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian drone attacks on Monday killed at least six people and injured more than 30.

Mr. Trump’s annoyance with his Russian counterpart has been mounting over the past few weeks as Moscow intensifies its air and ground offensives in Ukraine.

Mr. Trump has called Mr. Putin “crazy” for ordering strikes on civilian infrastructure and has doubted how seriously Russia takes the ongoing peace talks. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. will provide more weapons to Ukraine in the coming weeks following a promise from Mr. Trump to send additional defensive weapons. On Monday, he announced a new scheme to sell U.S.-made weapons to NATO allies, who will in turn send them to Ukraine. 

Peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stalled, despite both sides publicly saying they want a resolution to the conflict. The two sides met last on June 2 in Istanbul, where negotiators ironed out a prisoner swap but failed to reach a ceasefire agreement. 

Ukrainian leaders have long championed a short-term ceasefire that would allow negotiators time to reach a solid peace agreement. However, Mr. Putin has maintained that a ceasefire would only give Ukraine time to regroup for another offensive. 

Since the June meeting, both sides have launched massive attacks that have intensified the war, now in its third year. Ukraine destroyed dozens of Russia’s heavy bomber jets. The following month, Russia launched the largest drone offensive of the war, firing more than 700 drones at several border regions.