THE Kremlin has mocked Trump’s 50-day deadline to strike a peace deal – and may demand even more Ukrainian territory instead of laying down arms.
According to sources, Putin intends to continue targeting Ukrainian civilians over the next seven weeks, seemingly undeterred by America’s imposition of sanctions and its move to support Ukraine with billions of dollars in long-range weaponry.
Trump on Monday vowed to slap brutal 100 percent tariffs on Russia if Moscow did not reach a peace agreement with Ukraine within 50 days.
Dismissing the President’s ultimatum, Russian Foreign Minister said: “We of course want to understand what is behind this statement – 50 days.
“Initially, it was 24 hours, then 100 days; we have been through all this and are eager to grasp what drives the President of the United States.”
Lavrov suggested Trump’s move was simply driven by “indecent pressure from the European Union”.
Individuals with knowledge of the Kremlin’s internal mechanisms explained that Putin is unlikely to halt the conflict due to Western pressure and is convinced that the Russian economy can withstand any further economic sanctions.
He also believes his military has the upper hand on the battlefield – and will be able to deal with the extra “top-of-the-line” long-range weapons Trump intends to supply.
A source said: “Appetite comes with eating,” meaning he is likely to continue grabbing land until the war has stopped.
Explaining the dictator’s thinking, another said: “Putin thinks no one has seriously engaged with him on the details of peace in Ukraine – including the Americans – so he will continue until he gets what he wants.”
Despite several telephone calls between Trump and Putin, and diplomatic visits to Russia, Putin feels there have not been detailed discussions towards a peace plan, the source said.
They added: “Putin values the relationship with Trump and had good discussions with [Steve] Witkoff, but the interests of Russia come above all else.”
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmiitry Medvedev made a jibe on X: “Trump issue a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin.
The world shuddered, expecting the consequences.
“Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care.”
It was also reported by The Financial Times and The Washington Post that Trump encouraged Ukraine’s President Zelensky during a phone call to strike deeper inside Russia in order to crank up the pressure on Putin.
He apparently asked whether Ukraine could “hit Moscow” in order to “make Putin feel the pain of war”, according to anonymous sources cited by the papers.
Zelensky’s answer was swift and direct: “Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.”
However, the White House denied Trump was calling for escalation, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt telling Newsweek: “President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing.
“He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”
Putin’s indifference was evident just hours after Trump issued the ultimatumwhen he unleashed a fresh devastating blitz on Ukrainian cities from Kharkiv to Zaporizhzhia and Sumy.
In Sumy Oblast, Russian drones injured six people, including a 19-year-old student and 14-year-old girl, when they struck a university.
A separate missile strike in Shostka wounded another teen and damaged a medical facility.
Trump gave a surprise interview to the BBC on Monday night, when he said he was “disappointed but not done with” Putin.
He also repeated his new-found backing for Nato and spoke of his respect for The King and Sir Keir Starmer ahead of his September state visit to the UK.
Trump – for the first time – opened up about his difficulty trusting Putin, who has stalled four US attempts to end the 40 months Ukraine bloodbath.
The President said: “I thought I had a deal four times.
“I’m not done with him I’m disappointed in him. We thought we had a deal done four time the you go home and find he just attacked a nursing home or something in Kyiv…
“And so what the hell was that all about.”
Trump, who once branded Nato “obsolete,” told the BBC his view has changed.
“No. I think NATO is now becoming the opposite of that,” he said, because members were “paying their own bills.”
What have experts said of Trump’s sending long-range weapons to Ukraine?
by Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter
DONALD Trump sending long-range weapons to Ukraine could be a game-changer for the war by helping halt Vladimir Putin’s nightly blitzes, experts said.
Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a decorated British Army commander, said the shipment of these long-range missiles would have profound “psychological and physical effects” on Ukraine.
Mr de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun: “These weapons can strike Moscow – over 400 miles from the border. That allows the Ukrainians to strike drone factory production and ammunition sites, and others.
“So this will have both psychological as well as physical effects.
“People in Moscow will realise that they potentially could be targeted.
“And when you also add to it the American bombings on Iranian sites that were supposed to be impregnable, it shows that American missile and drone technology rather superior to the Russian air defence system.”
The former army chief said these weapons will put real pressure on Russia, adding: “The metric has now changed and Trump’s decision could make a huge difference.”
Ex-military intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram told The Sun how these long-range weapons could help strike Russian missile and drone launchpads – the ones that are used to launch nightly attacks on Ukraine.
He said: “The Ukrainians are already attacking to hit Russian military logistics, defence industry bases.
“And with these sophisticated weapons, they will have increased capability of doing so.
“It will impact the ability of the Russians to prosecute these increasingly large drone and rocket attacks on a nightly basis.
“And then that’s the best way for the Ukrainians to stop it.”
