The Kremlin has de-emphasized US President Donald Trump’s orders to move two nuclear submarines closer to Russia, saying Moscow did not want to be involved in polemics.
In the first official response since the Trump’s comments last Friday, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said American submarines were on combat duty anyway and dismissed the idea that there had been an escalation.
Peskov said: “Very complex, very sensitive issues are being discussed, which, of course, many perceive very emotionally.”
He continued, “everyone should be “very cautious” with nuclear rhetoric.”
US Envoy, Steve Witkoff, is due to visit Russia on Wednesday, according to Russian media.
Last week, the US President ordered two nuclear submarines to “be positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to what he called “highly provocative” comments by Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President.
Whether they were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines, Trump did not specify.
Relations between the two military powers improved enormously after Trump assumed office in January – although in recent months the US president has signalled he suspects Putin may not be truly committed to ending the war in Ukraine, which started when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
