Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin attend a service at Karelia’s Valaam monastery on 1 August 2025. Photo: EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that two American nuclear submarines would be deployed to the “appropriate regions” in apparent response to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev labelling the White House’s recent peace ultimatum a “step towards war”, as ongoing diplomatic discussions between Washington and Moscow remain at an impasse.

On Monday, Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, criticised Trump’s shortened “10 or 12” day deadline for Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, after which the US would impose expanded sanctions on Russia.

“50 days or 10… each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!” Medvedev wrote on X.

On Thursday, Trump appeared to first respond to the comments by Medvedev, whom he described as the “failed former President of Russia”, telling the Russian politician to “watch his words” in a post on Truth Social, before labelling the comments “highly provocative” in a follow-up post on Friday.

“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote on Friday.

According to Reuters, the US Navy and the Pentagon declined to comment about Trump’s remarks or on whether any US submarines had been repositioned.

On Thursday, one day prior to Trump’s submarine warning, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed in a radio interview with Fox News that US officials had held secret discussions with “Putin’s top people” during the week in a bid to end the war in Ukraine, but had been unable to make any progress.

Earlier that day, senior US diplomat John Kelley told the UN Security Council that Trump had given both Russia and Ukraine until 8 August to “negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace”.

Besides Medvedev, senior figures in Moscow have made little public comments regarding Washington’s shortened peace ultimatum, beyond Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirming to reporters on Friday that Russia had “taken note” of Trump’s statements, while stressing its military campaign in Ukraine would continue.

Vladimir Putin, for his part, did not comment directly on Donald Trump’s demands for peace, as Russia continued to attack civilian targets in Ukraine. At least 31 people, including five children, were killed in a massive drone and missile strike on Kyiv on Friday.

Speaking to reporters on a visit with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko to the republic of Karelia’s Valaam monastery in northwestern Russia, Putin made mention that he wished to see negotiations with Ukraine take place “without cameras” and “without any political noise”, according to Interfax, a state-affiliated news agency.

“As for any disappointments, no matter who you are, all disappointments arise from excessive expectations. This is a well-known general rule,” Putin added, an apparent reference to the White House’s recent disappointment in Moscow’s lack of willingness to end its war efforts.