15 Jul, 2025 10:10

‘Russia doesn’t respond to pressure’: How Moscow sees Trump’s ultimatum

From skepticism to strategic recalculations, Russian analysts interpret Washington’s new pressure campaign – and its limits

(Really article with many Russian leaders, think tanks, etc but the also came to same conclusion that Trump is giving Russia 50 to complete its Operations in Ukraineonly a couple of 15 or so commentators)

What exactly Trump discussed with the Russian president remains unclear. But it’s likely that Russia’s core position was laid out: Full control over the territories now enshrined in its constitution. Russia simply cannot walk away from those claims. It’s even possible that Trump’s 50-day deadline is meant as a tacit acknowledgment of that reality – a window for Russia to consolidate its hold before talks resume. That would be his version of compromise.

Trump often opens negotiations with bold, hardline offers – the kind you ‘can’t refuse’, as American political lore puts it – only to walk them back later and land somewhere in the middle. That’s his style, drawn straight from the world of business deals:Apply pressure first, then strike a bargain.

Of course, these latest announcements – especially the pledge to send weapons – will only increase criticism of Trump within Russia. Still, this isn’t the harshest stance he could have taken. It’s a tough message, but one that still leaves room for maneuver.

Nikolai Silayev, senior research fellow at the Institute for International Studies, MGIMO University:

I wouldn’t say we’re standing at the brink of a new escalation. Trump hasn’t endorsed the sanctions bill currently under discussion in Congress. Instead, he’s talking about imposing 100% tariffs by executive order – just as he’s done in the past. In doing so, he’s clearly distancing himself from that legislation.

There are no immediate sanctions coming. The 50-day timeline he mentioned is just the latest in a series of deadlines he’s floated before.

On the one hand, Trump wants to avoid sliding back into the kind of confrontation with Russia that defined the Biden era. On the other, he doesn’t want to see Ukraine defeated – nor is he willing to accept a Russian ceasefire on Moscow’s terms, since that could be spun as a US loss, and by extension, a personal failure. He keeps repeating that this is “Biden’s war” – but the longer it drags on, the more it becomes his own.

From Moscow’s perspective, this is still the US arming Ukraine. Washington is also continuing to share intelligence and support logistics. No one in the Kremlin is going to say, ‘Thank you, Grandpa Trump – now you’re just a vendor’. That’s not how this will be seen.

Sergey Poletaev, political commentator:

The scale of this conflict is such that no single move – not by the US, not by Russia, not by anyone – can produce a sudden breakthrough. The only person who could do that is Vladimir Zelensky – by surrendering. There’s no weapon system that could fundamentally change the course of this war, short of nuclear arms.

As for Trump’s tariff threats against Russia and its trading partners –that’s really just kicking the can down the road for another 50 days. Classic Trump.

From Russia’s standpoint, we’re not shipping anything to the US anyway. But this move would only add to the contradictions in Trump’s chaotic tariff diplomacy, where every issue is approached through economic threats. I don’t think it’s going to work.

Konstantin Kosachev, Russian senatorand foreign affairs specialist:

If this is all Trump had to say about Ukraine today, then the hype was definitely overblown. Most of Lindsey Graham’s alarmist fantasies remain just that – fantasies. A 500% sanctions package makes little practical sense.

As for Europe, it looks like they’ll keep picking up the tab – again and again. What they thought was free cheese turned out to be a trap. The only true beneficiary here is the US defense industry.

But 50 days is a long time. A lot can change – on the battlefield, in Washington, and in NATO capitals. What matters most, though, is that none of this has any real impact on our own determination. At least, that’s how I see it.

Alexander Dugin, political philosopher and commentator:

Trump has given Russia 50 days to complete the job: To fully liberate our four regions, take Kharkov, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk – and ideally, Kiev. After that, he’s promised to get truly angry and hit back with 100% tariffs on our key oil buyers – India and China. That’s a serious threat.

https://www.rt.com/news/621492-russia-doesnt-respond-to-pressure/

So now we have 50 days to finish what we’ve left unfinished over the past 25 years.

This is precisely the kind of moment captured in the old Russian saying: ‘We take a long time to harness the horses, but we ride fast’. Given the circumstances, I believe any weapons can be used, against any targets. We have 50 days to win.

15 Jul, 2025 10:04

Kremlin responds to Trump’s 50-day ultimatum

Ukraine perceives the US leader’s comments as “a signal to continue the war,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said

Russia needs time to assess US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose severe sanctions on Moscow’s trading partners if the Ukraine conflict is not resolved within 50 days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

On Monday, the US leader said he was “very, very unhappy” with Russia, warning of “severe”secondary tariffs of up to 100% if no progress in diplomacy is reached soon.Trump, however, left the door open to talks with Moscow, saying that while he is “disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin, he is “not done with him.”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday,Peskov described Trump’s remarks as “quite serious.” “We undoubtedly need time to analyze what was said in Washington. And if and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will certainly comment on it,” Peskov said.

At the same time, the spokesman said the recent shift in Trump’s position will not be interpreted in Kiev as a call for peace. “It seems that such decisions that are being made in Washington, in NATO countries, and directly in Brussels,are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal to continue the war,” he stated.

According to Peskov,Russia remains open to negotiations with Ukraine but has yet to receive a response on their timing. “We are waiting for proposals from the Ukrainian side on the timing of holding the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations… We have not yet received proposals from the Ukrainian side.”

Trump has made efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict since taking office in January. He has held several phone calls with Putin, which revolved around a potential peace settlement, restoring broader bilateral relations, and exploring economic cooperation.

This year, Russian and Ukrainian delegations have held two rounds of direct talks in Istanbul. While they fell short of any breakthroughs, the sides agreed to large-scale prisoner exchanges.

https://www.rt.com/russia/621505-kremlin-responds-trump-ultimatum/

15 Jul, 2025 04:09

Ukraine needs people not weapons – MP

No amount of Western military aid will solve Kiev’s main problem, Anna Skorokhod has claimed

Kiev’s greatest challengein the conflict with Russia is not a lack of Western weapons, but acritical shortage of manpower, Ukrainian lawmaker Anna Skorokhod has said.

US President Donald Trump on Monday pledged to provide Ukraine with more weapons – funded by European NATO states – and threatened Moscow with “severe tariffs” if no peace deal is reached within 50 days.

“We’ve heard something like this before, and I say it’s a game,” Skorokhod said in an interview with the Ukrainian political YouTube channel Superposition.

“Our main problem is people. Nobody is giving us people,” she added. “We can expect Trump to decide on providing weapons, but I want to emphasize that war cannot last forever.”

Skorokhod dismissed Trump’s ultimatum to Moscow as political maneuvering, arguing thatnone of the key players can afford to lose what even US Secretary of State Marco Rubio once openly described as a “proxy war” with Russia.

In a separate video last week, the Ukrainian lawmaker criticized official casualty figures as misleading and urged citizens to examine cemeteries and Red Cross data on missing persons to grasp the true scale of the losses.

“Just look at the demographic situation… If we are heading toward erasing the nation to zero, we are very quickly and successfully succeeding in this,”she warned.

Ukraine’s population was just under 52 million when it declared independence in 1991 amid the collapse of the USSR. By the time of the last census in 2001, that number had dropped to 48.5 million.A 2024 government demographic report estimates the population in Kiev-controlled territories at 31.1 million.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky officiallyacknowledged fewer than 50,000 military casualtiesas of February, but third-party estimates and increasinglyharsh forced mobilization measures suggest the actual number is much higher. At the same time, Kiev is bracing for continued labor shortages, as many Ukrainians who fled since the escalation of the conflict in 2022 show little intention of returning.

Moscow has accused Kiev of waging a war “to the last Ukrainian” on behalf of Western nations, with Russian President Vladimir Putin sayingthat Ukraine’s recruitment officers are grabbing people “like dogs on the street.”

(No one is giving them people, did Ukraine expect that? they obviously overestimated their power. They admit they are losing.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/621494-ukraine-people-weapons-problem/

14 Jul, 2025 13:25

NATO turning Moldova into ‘battering ram’ against Russia – Moscow

The bloc has intensified efforts as Ukrainian forces lose ground, the Foreign Intelligence Service has said

NATO is molding Moldova into a military “battering ram” against Russia while intending to use the former Soviet nation as “cannon fodder”in a potential conflict, the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has said.

In a statement on Monday, theSVR accused the US-led military bloc of grooming Moldova for an armed conflict with Russia. “A decision has been made in Brussels to accelerate the transformation of the country into a forward base on the eastern flank given the advance of Russian forces in Ukraine.”

The agency said NATO is rapidly converting Moldova into a “military testing ground” by upgrading the country’s rail lines to European standards, improving bridges to accommodate heavy equipment, and building hubs, depots, and sites for troop deployment. The SVR added that another effort is the modernization of two airfields to host combat and transport aircraft.

NATO’s plans for Moldova, however, spell doom for the population of the country, the SVR warned. “Brussels’ plan envisions that in the event of a direct NATO conflict with Russia, Moldovans themselves will bear the brunt of the fighting. They are to become ‘cannon fodder’ in clashes with Russian troops.”

According to the SVR,Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s administration has yielded the nation’s interests to the West, describing her rule as a “comprador regime.” It added that Sandu is counting on “material and organizational support from NATO states” to bolster her pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity ahead of parliamentary elections on September 28.The SVR warned that if victorious, Sandu will cancel Moldova’s constitutionally enshrined neutrality.

Sandu secured victory in the presidential election last autumn, defeating her rival Alexandr Stoianoglo, the leader of the Party of Socialists, who Western outlets frequently labeled as ‘pro-Russian’. The vote was marred in controversy, with Moscow criticizing the electoral process as being biased.

Russian officials were particularly critical of the decision to open only a handful of polling stations for the roughly 500,000 Moldovans living in Russia, while more than 200 were set up across Western countries, where voters tend to be more disposed towards the EU.

https://www.rt.com/russia/621462-nato-turning-moldova-battering-ram-russia/

15 Jul, 2025 11:31

Retired US officer shared classified Ukraine intel on dating site – DOJ

The Air Force employee has pleaded guilty to leaking top secret data to an unknown woman on a foreign dating platform

A retired US Army officer has admitted to leaking classified information about the Ukraine conflict to a woman he met on a foreign dating website, according to a press release by the US Justice Department last week.

David Slater, 64, was working as a civilian employee for the Air Force at US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) when he is said to have conspired to transmit national defense information.

The leaks occurred from February to April 2022,during the early stages of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. USSTRATCOM is responsible for overseeing the country’s nuclear command and control systems.

Slater held a top secret security clearance and worked in a classified space at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.He attended briefings that included intelligence classified up to top secret. Prosecutors said he later shared information from those briefings with a personwho claimed to be a Ukrainian woman.

The two communicated using a messaging feature on an unnamed foreign dating platform. According to court filings,the woman regularly prompted Slater to reveal sensitive detailsand referred to him with phrases suchas “my secret informant love”and “my secret agent.” In one message, she asked, “Dear, what is shown on the screens in the special room??”

Prosecutors said the information hedisclosed included military targets, Russian military capabilities, and US and NATO planning.

The identity of the woman has not been made public and it’s unclear whether she was working for a foreign government.

US Attorney Lesley Woods said Slater “failed in his duty” to protect classified information. FBI Special Agent Eugene Kowel said the officer “betrayed an oath” to safeguard national intelligence.

Slater faces up to ten years in prison for the leaks, but could serve a fraction of this under a plea agreement. His sentencing is set for October 8.

The case follows a similar breach in 2023 involving Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, who admitted to posting highly classified documents on Discord, including battlefield maps and intelligence assessments about the Ukraine conflict.

https://www.rt.com/news/621510-us-officer-leaked-intel/

15 Jul, 2025 08:24

Trump says he’s ‘not done’ with Putin

The US president has announced increased arms support for Ukraine and issued an ultimatum to Russia

US President DonaldTrump has said he remains open to diplomatic engagement with Russiadespite expressing disappointment in President Vladimir Putin, the BBC reported Tuesday.

Hours earlier, Trump announced his support for the delivery of Patriot missile systems and other weapons to Ukraine, funded by European NATO allies. He also threatened new import tariffs on Russia and any nations purchasing its exports unless the conflict in Ukraine is resolved within 50 days.

In a phone interview with the BBC, Trump was asked about his current stance toward Putin.“I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him. But I’m disappointed in him,”he said.

Despite the heightened rhetoric, Moscow signaled it remains open to dialogue. Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev saidTrump, unlike his predecessor Joe Biden, “is trying to understand Russia’s lawful interests,” which he said leaves room for a relationshipbased on mutual respect and cooperation between the two nations.

The Russian government has stated on many occasions that it will not compromise on its core objectives regarding Ukraine, although it prefers to achieve them through diplomatic means. Moscow continues to view the conflict as a NATO-orchestrated proxy war against Russia and considers it an existential threat.

For months, Kiev and its European supporters have pressed Washington to step up sanctions against Russia and accelerate weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Trump’s announcement came after a meeting on Monday with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

While neither Trump nor Rutte provided specific details about future arms supplies, media reports indicate that European countries will initially provide weapons from their own stockpiles, with plans to replenish them through US purchases.

German magazine Der Spiegel described the announcement as “smaller than many had hoped” in Washington and across European capitals. Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Security Council ChairmanDmitry Medvedev dismissed Trump’s statement as “a theatrical ultimatum”that Russia “didn’t care” about.

https://www.rt.com/news/621500-trump-not-done-putin/

Senate Majority Leader Thune puts Lindsey Graham Russian Sanctions into Holding Pattern

July 14, 2025 | Sundance |

Good job here by John Thune. Let President Trump work on the Russia-Ukraine problem and await his request for more legislative tools. A refreshing change in the Senate leadership approach.

WASHINGTON DC – Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday he would hold off on advancing a closely watched package of sanctions targeting Russia’s trading partners after President Donald Trump said he was prepared to act himself later this summer if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t move toward a peace deal with Ukraine.

“It sounds like right now the president is going to attempt to do some of this on his own,” Thune told reporters. “If at some point the president concludes that it makes sense and adds value and leverage that he needs in those negotiations to move the bill, then we’ll do it. We’ll be ready to go.” (more)

Let Trump be Trump. He’s trying to stop this U.S/NATO proxy war, by cutting the Gordian knot in Ukraine.

(Lindsey Graham must be losing his mind, he’s always dreamed of a direct war with Russia. There are not enough Russia gays to have sex with. KEK)

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/07/14/senate-majority-leader-thune-puts-lindsey-graham-russian-sanctions-into-holding-pattern/

Supreme Court Blocks Lower Court Ruling, Permitting Trump Administration to Fire Dept of Ed Workforce

July 14, 2025 | Sundance |

In a 6-3 Supreme Court decision today, the majority have blocked a lower court ruling that stopped the Trump administration Dept of Education from downsizing the federal agency.

The justices apparently voted 6-3 to stay the lower court ruling with the DEI justices (gay, latino, black) filing a 19-page dissent. [SEE RULING HERE]The high court lifted an injunction a federal judge in Boston granted in May against the firing of Dept of Education bureaucrats.

[SOURCE]

The lower court judge ruled the staff cuts were so drastic they would prevent the department from carrying out duties mandated by Congress. He also said the mass firings appeared to be part of Trump’s plan to eliminate the Education Department entirely, despite a lack of congressional authorization to do so.

Today, the Supreme Court again affirmed the President is within his power to control the size and scope of the executive branch.

WASHINGTON DC – “Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the decision “a significant win for students and families,” but she added in a statement: “It is a shame that the highest court in the land had to step in to allow President Trump to advance the reforms Americans elected him to deliver using the authorities granted to him by the U.S. Constitution.”

The Education Department announced its so-called reduction in force in March, giving affected workers a termination date of June 10. Those layoffs had been temporarily halted by the lower-court injunction. But shortly after the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday,some affected employees received an email informing them that they will now be terminated on Aug. 1.(read

(When will the lower courts recognize the Article 2 power of the President?. The courts have allowed this because they must take away only Trump’s power as President.)

The three radicals are butthurt:

LINDA MCMAHON, SECRETARY OF EDUCATION,ET AL. v. NEW YORK, ET AL. ON APPLICATION FOR STAY

[July 14, 2025] The application for stay presented to JUSTICE JACKSON and by her referred to the Court is granted. The May 22, 2025 preliminary injunction entered by the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, case No. 1:25-cv-10601, is stayed pending the disposition of the appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, if such a writ is timely sought. Should certiorari be denied, this stay shall terminate automatically. In the event certi- orari is granted, the stay shall terminate upon the sending down of the judgment of this Court.

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, with whom JUSTICE KAGAN and

JUSTICE JACKSON join, dissenting.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/07/14/supreme-court-blocks-lower-court-ruling-permitting-trump-administration-to-fire-dept-of-ed-workforce/

The radicals in the court are losing their minds

Ken Langone: GOP bill's efforts to trigger economic growth has merit

Ken Langone, Home Depot co-founder, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss what Langone sees in the markets, economy and broader political landscape.

5:32

https://youtu.be/vgjOkYhQTAw

Sen. David McCormick on energy and AI: In a race to lead and need to ensure supply

Sen. David McCormick (R-Pa.) joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss what's going on at the Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

4:39

https://youtu.be/1PGibbWQNyM