Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Russia prefers diplomacy but is prepared to achieve its goals in the Ukraine conflict militarily

Russia expects the US and NATO to treat its position on the Ukraine conflict with the "utmost seriousness," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said. He added that Moscow rejects any attempts to exert pressure on it.

The statement comes after US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose up to 100% secondary tariffs on Russia's trading partners unless progress is made toward resolving the Ukraine conflict within 50 days. Trump also announced that Washington would continue to send weapons to Kiev through NATO, which will handle payments and distribution of the arms.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Ryabkov stressed that "any attempts to make demands, let alone issue ultimatums, are unacceptable [to Moscow]."

The senior diplomat emphasized that Russia remains open to talks and views diplomacy as the preferred path. However, he warned that if Moscow's willingness to negotiate is not met with a proper response, it will pursue its objectives through military means and the Ukraine conflict will continue.

"This position is unshakable," Ryabkov said, noting that Moscow "would like Washington and NATO as a whole to treat this position with the utmost seriousness.".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has also criticized Trump's threat, noting that "such decisions, made in Washington, in NATO countries, and in Brussels, are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal to continue the war."

Peskov further condemned the continued weapons shipments to Ukraine, suggesting that some European leaders want to see an escalation of the hostilities rather than a transition to peace. Russia has repeatedly criticized foreign military aid to Ukraine, arguing it only prolongs the conflict without affecting its outcome.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also stated that Moscow expects a more detailed explanation about Trump's 50-day timeline, noting that the US president has already given several deadlines. "It used to be 24 hours, it used to be 100 days, we have been through all of this and we really want to understand what motivates the president of the United States," Lavrov said.

(RT.com)