US President Donald Trump expressed his admiration for the Russian people, calling them “great,” while simultaneously warning Moscow of potential new sanctions and announcing a shortened timeframe for resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
During a Q&A session with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Turnberry, Scotland, on Monday, Trump said he had “always gotten along” well with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He praised Russia’s wealth and economic potential, suggesting it could thrive “like almost no other country” and highlighted the vast opportunities for trade between the US and Russia.
“I don’t want to impose sanctions on Russia. I love the Russian people,” Trump said when questioned about the possibility of fresh sanctions.
At the same time, he voiced frustration over the slow progress in peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv and accused Russia of targeting Ukrainian cities. Trump added that he was “not interested in talking anymore” after several “respectful and friendly” discussions with Putin failed to produce results.
Despite this, Trump set a new deadline for a peace agreement in Ukraine, saying it should be reached within “10 or 12 days” from Monday. If no deal is made by then, Washington would implement additional sanctions on Russia. The previous deadline was expected to end in early September.
These new measures would involve secondary sanctions and tariffs aimed at countries and businesses that continue dealings with Russia.
Throughout the conflict, Moscow has consistently expressed willingness to engage in talks without preconditions, provided that ground realities and the root causes of the crisis are acknowledged. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently described the Ukraine situation as “complex” and said it could not be resolved “overnight.”
Russia also criticized Trump’s sanction threats, claiming they primarily signal support for prolonging the war in Ukraine, and urged the US to instead pressure Kyiv. Since resuming direct talks in Istanbul in May, Russia and Ukraine have conducted three negotiation rounds, but a ceasefire agreement has yet to be reached.