MOSCOW, August 4, 2025 — The Kremlin has signaled it does not wish to be drawn into an escalating war of words between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev over nuclear threats.
Responding to media questions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov urged caution regarding nuclear rhetoric.
“Russia treats the topic of nuclear non-proliferation with utmost seriousness. We believe everyone must be extremely careful in their language when it comes to nuclear issues,” Peskov said.
The comment follows Trump’s recent claim that he would deploy two U.S. nuclear submarines closer to Russian waters in response to hawkish statements from Medvedev, who had made veiled threats regarding Western involvement in Ukraine.
Peskov downplayed Trump’s warning, noting that “U.S. submarines are already on patrol; it’s part of routine operations.”
When asked about Medvedev’s increasingly aggressive social media commentary on foreign policy matters, Peskov clarified that Russia’s official stance is defined solely by President Vladimir Putin.
“In our country, foreign policy is shaped by the head of state — President Putin,” he said, effectively distancing the Kremlin from Medvedev’s remarks.
He also acknowledged that differing views within political leadership are not unique to Russia.
“In the United States and Europe, there are officials with extremely hardline positions. That’s always been the case,” Peskov added.
The remarks suggest the Kremlin is keen to project a more measured tone on nuclear issues amid rising international tensions and sharp political rhetoric on both sides of the Atlantic.
