The Kremlin on Monday downplayed nuclear rhetoric of US President Donald Trump, who announced that he had ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines in “appropriate regions.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that US submarines were already understood to be on routine combat duty.
He added that Moscow had no intention of entering into a polemic with Trump on the matter.
Trump, speaking to reporters on Friday, said he had ordered the two submarines to be positioned in “the appropriate regions” in reaction to what he described as "highly provocative" remarks by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev regarding the risk of war between nuclear-armed powers.
"I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that," Trump said in a social media post. "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances."
Trump has not clarified whether the submarines are nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, and the exact deployment locations remain undisclosed.
The move comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow, with Trump setting a deadline of the end of next week for Russia to take action toward ending the war in Ukraine or face new, unspecified sanctions.
Trump confirmed on Sunday that his special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Russia in the coming week. "I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday," he said, referring to the timing of Witkoff’s visit. The envoy has met Russian President Vladimir Putin multiple times in Moscow.
When asked what message Witkoff would carry to Moscow and whether there was any chance to avoid the sanctions, Trump replied, “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.”
The US president has also suggested that further measures could include "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, including China and India.
Despite mounting pressure from Washington, Russia has continued its military offensive in Ukraine. Putin on Friday reiterated that his position remains unchanged, stating that while he seeks peace, any resolution must meet Russia’s long-standing demands.
"We need a lasting and stable peace on solid foundations that would satisfy both Russia and Ukraine, and would ensure the security of both countries," Putin told reporters. However, he added, "The conditions (from the Russian side) certainly remain the same."
Moscow has called for Ukraine to cede control of four regions it claims to have annexed, a demand that Kyiv has dismissed as unacceptable.
