Moscow Issues First Response to Trump’s Anti-Russian Remarks
According to the English section of webangah News agency, citing Mehr News Agency and RIA Novosti, Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on International Affairs, commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements made Monday during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. slutsky said that resuming missile shipments to Kyiv would be a step backward but would not fundamentally change the situation regarding Russia’s special military operation.
The head of the State Duma committee also described Trump’s remarks as mostly a political maneuver.
Earlier at the White House, Donald Trump stated: “I have never been satisfied with Russia and feel negatively about them. I hope we don’t have to impose more tariffs. If we do not reach an agreement within 50 days, secondary tariffs will be applied; it is very simple. At least 100 percent tariffs will be imposed. A 500 percent tariff is meaningless; 100 percent seems sufficient.”
He added: “We make the best weapons and arms, and Europeans know this. We have reached an agreement under wich we will send weapons to them, and in turn they (Europeans) will pay for them-America will not pay anything. We are sending Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine. We are trying to provide these systems to Kyiv soon-perhaps within days-through countries that already possess Patriots.”
Trump explained further: “We can exchange those systems; those countries can send their Patriots with coordination through NATO’s secretary general, while we replace them ourselves. NATO covers all costs-we do not pay anything.” He concluded by saying: “Biden should have done this earlier. One country has 17 Patriot systems ready for dispatch-they won’t need those Patriots anymore.” he emphasized plans for a swift agreement on this matter.
