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Moscow Remains ‘Ready’ for Dialogue Despite Trump Threats, Kremlin Says

The Kremlin in Moscow. Mikhail Metzel / TASS

The Kremlin on Thursday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's latest remarks on the Ukraine war as lacking anything new but emphasized Moscow's readiness for "mutually respectful" dialogue with Washington.

Trump on Wednesday warned of fresh sanctions against Russia unless it agreed to a deal to end its nearly three-year war on Ukraine.

"We do not see any particularly new elements," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Trump's comments.

Peskov said it was clear from Trump's first presidency that he "liked" sanctions and that Moscow was "closely monitoring" his statements.

"We remain ready for dialogue, for equal, mutually respectful dialogue," Peskov added.

Expectations are high that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump will hold a phone call about the war in the coming days.

Russian forces have made a series of critical battlefield advances in recent weeks, while both Moscow and Kyiv have escalated aerial strikes targeting areas far from the front lines.

On his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump urged Putin to strike a deal "now" and threatened "high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions."

The Kremlin has consistently brushed off the wave of Western sanctions imposed on Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Peskov acknowledged on Thursday that Russia faces economic "problems... as all countries do," but otherwise insisted that Moscow has the resources to meet "all military needs."

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