President Donald Trump used his trade battle with India to warn former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev about "entering very dangerous territory" with his threat of war.
After Trump on Monday said he was reducing a deadline for Russia to agree to a Ukraine peace settlement from 50 days to 10 or 12 days, Medvedev wrote on X that Trump was playing "the ultimatum game" and that such an approach could lead to war.
Trump commented on Medvedev's threat while writing about India, which will see its goods to the U.S. subjected to a 25% tariff and an additional import tax because of its purchasing of Russian oil.
"I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care," Trump posted Thursday morning on Truth Social. "We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World."
"Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. 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!" Trump added.
Trump said two weeks ago he would implement "severe tariffs" on Russia unless a peace deal is reached by early September, as he expressed exasperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the bombardment of Ukrainian cities.
Trump said he would give Putin 10 to 12 days from Monday, meaning he wants peace efforts to progress by Aug. 7-9. The plan includes possible sanctions and secondary tariffs targeting Russia's trading partners.
"No reason in waiting," Trump said of the shorter timeline. "We just don't see any progress being made."
Earlier Monday, while welcoming British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Starmer's wife, Victoria, at Trump Turnberry Golf Club in Turnberry, Scotland, the U.S. president spoke of Putin.
"I'm very disappointed. I'm disappointed in President Putin, very disappointed in him," Trump said. "So we're going to have to look, and I'm going to reduce the 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number, because I think I already know the answer."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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