By WILL WEISSERT, Related Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a warning to Russia, President Donald Trump stated Friday he’s ordering the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines “primarily based on the extremely provocative statements” of the nation’s former president Dmitry Medvedev.
Trump posted on his social media website that primarily based on the “extremely provocative statements” from Medvedev he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned within the applicable areas, simply in case these silly and inflammatory statements are extra than simply that.”
The president added, “Phrases are crucial, and might usually result in unintended penalties, I hope this won’t be a kind of cases.”
It wasn’t instantly clear what influence Trump’s order would have on U.S. nuclear subs, that are routinely on patrol on this planet’s hotspots, but it surely comes at a fragile second within the Trump administration’s relations with Moscow.
Trump has stated that particular envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia to push Moscow to comply with a ceasefire in its warfare with Ukraine and has threatened new financial sanctions if progress isn’t made. He minimize his 50-day deadline for motion to 10 days, with that window set to run out subsequent week.
The submit in regards to the sub repositioning got here after Trump, within the wee hours of Thursday morning, had posted that Medvedev was a “failed former President of Russia” and warned him to “watch his phrases.” Medvedev responded hours later by writing, “Russia is correct on all the things and can proceed to go its personal method.”
Medvedev was president from 2008 to 2012 whereas Putin was barred from in search of a second consecutive time period however stepped apart to let him run once more. Now deputy chairman of Russia’s Nationwide Safety Council, which Putin chairs, Medvedev has been identified for his provocative and inflammatory statements for the reason that begin of the warfare in 2022, a U-turn from his presidency, when he was seen as liberal and progressive.
He has incessantly wielded nuclear threats and lobbed insults at Western leaders on social media. Some observers have argued that together with his extravagant rhetoric, Medvedev is in search of to attain political factors with Putin and Russian army hawks.
Trump and Medvedev have gotten into on-line spats earlier than.
On July 15, after Trump introduced plans to produce Ukraine with extra weapons through its NATO allies and threatened further tariffs towards Moscow, Medvedev posted, “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, anticipating the results. Belligerent Europe was upset. Russia didn’t care.”
Earlier this week, he wrote, “Trump’s enjoying the ultimatum sport with Russia: 50 days or 10″ and added, “He ought to keep in mind 2 issues: 1. Russia isn’t Israel and even Iran. 2. Every new ultimatum is a risk and a step in direction of warfare. Not between Russia and Ukraine, however together with his personal nation.”
Related Press author Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.
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