Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has called upon President Donald Trump to show restraint when making what the Kremlin described as “nuclear rhetoric” following a tense exchange between Trump and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
“Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. And we believe that everyone should be very, very cautious with nuclear rhetoric,” Peskov told a Russian media outlet.
Peskov’s remarks emerged as Russian publication Moskovsky Komsomolets cautioned that the pair were heading for a “head-on collision.
“The Trump locomotive and the Putin locomotive are speeding towards each other,” the tabloid reported. “And neither is about to turn off or stop and reverse.”
The Kremlin official’s statement follows reports that Trump has positioned two nuclear submarines near Russia in preparation for potential conflict.
“I’ve already put out a statement, and the answer is, they are in the region, yeah, where they have to be,” the president responded when questioned by journalists about the submarine deployment.
On Friday, Trump authorised the submarine movement following exchanges with the former Russian president, who Trump claimed had made “highly provocative statements.”
Taking to Truth Social, Trump condemned Medvedev and his remarks.
“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,” he wrote.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The order to deploy the submarines follows Medvedev’s response to Trump’s threats to Putin on Monday by agreeing to a ceasefire within “10 to 12 days from today,” dramatically reducing his previous timeframe of 50 days.
Medvedev delivered Trump an ultimatum.
“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things,” he tweeted.
“1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran.
“2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,” he added.
Trump’s directive follows his earlier threat to Medvedev to “watch his words” after Medvedev ridiculed Trump whilst cautioning him against going “go down the Sleepy Joe road.
“Russia and the USA do almost no business together,” Trump posted around midnight on Truth Social.
“Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”