'We’ve seen it all before': Lavrov mocks Trump’s statement on war timeline
Photo: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (GettyImages)
In the team of Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials are trying to understand what US President Donald Trump meant by his statement about a 50-day deadline for a ceasefire, states Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to Lavrov, Trump is allegedly under pressure from the European Union and NATO leadership, which "blatantly supports Zelenskyy's demands to continue supplying him with modern, including offensive, weapons."
"We have a saying – don’t dig a pit for someone else. And the sanctions imposed by the EU, as well as the new ones being prepared in Brussels, are trying to drag the US into this sanctions vortex. But Trump very clearly explained that Europe will be the one to pay for all of it," Lavrov stated.
The Russian foreign minister insisted that the sanctions harm the European economy, not Russia. He also responded to Trump's comment about a 50-day deadline for a ceasefire with Ukraine.
"Fifty days — before, it was 24 hours, and then 100 days — we’ve seen it all before. (...) Knowing our partners, I don’t see how they can abandon their so-called independent policy. They have commitments," Lavrov said.
Trump shifts tone on Putin
Recently, Donald Trump has begun taking a tougher stance toward Russia and its leader, Vladimir Putin. This shift comes amid intensified missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and a growing number of civilian casualties.
On July 8, Trump publicly stated that Putin was "telling him complete nonsense" and announced he was seriously considering Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposal to impose 500% tariffs on imports from countries that purchase Russian oil or petrochemical products.
In addition, the US president hinted that he is preparing a "surprise" for Putin, without revealing any details.
Yesterday, Trump once again expressed disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the lack of progress in peace negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine.
According to him, if the parties fail to reach a deal within 50 days, the US will impose new secondary tariffs.
"We've spent 350 billion dollars approximately on this war with Russia and Ukraine... We want to see it end," Trump emphasized.
Read more about Trump's changing attitude toward Putin and Russia in our in-depth report.
