President Donald Trump informed journalists on Sunday that nuclear submarines he had ordered to counter Russia are now positioned “in the region” in anticipation of U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit.
Prior to departing from Allentown, Pa., on Air Force One to return to Washington, D.C., Trump was questioned about whether the nuclear submarines had been deployed to confront Russia. Trump had previously stated on TRUTH Social that he had directed two nuclear submarines to be strategically located in response to what he considered provocative remarks made by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev regarding a potential war with the U.S.
Trump confirmed to reporters at Lehigh Valley International Airport on Sunday that the submarines are indeed in the region where they need to be. He mentioned that Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Russia on either Wednesday or Thursday, as reported by Russian state media on Monday.
The visit precedes the deadline set by Trump for Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine by Friday, or face additional sanctions and tariffs. Trump also hinted at potential secondary tariffs for those purchasing Russian energy.
During a press briefing, Trump commented on the situation, stating, “There’ll be sanctions, but they seem to be adept at evading sanctions. You know, they’re crafty individuals, and they have a knack for sidestepping sanctions. So we’ll have to wait and see.”
In response to a question about Witkoff’s message to Moscow and whether there are any actions Russia can take to avoid sanctions, Trump emphasized the importance of reaching a deal to prevent further loss of life.
Trump expressed his dismay over the casualties in both Russian and Ukrainian forces, emphasizing the need to halt the conflict. He highlighted his track record of preventing wars between countries like India and Pakistan, and pledged to work towards ending the ongoing conflict.
Before deploying the nuclear submarines, Trump had issued a warning to Medvedev, cautioning him to be mindful of his words. Despite the warning, Medvedev referenced Russia’s “Dead Hand” system, an automated nuclear retaliation system developed during the Cold War.
The article also touched upon China and Russia’s deepening ties, including joint military exercises in the Sea of Japan. The drills involved Chinese and Russian warships engaged in various operations.
Additionally, the piece mentioned the annual Resolute Force Pacific exercise conducted by the U.S. Air Force in the western Pacific, which drew criticism from Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang for allegedly undermining peace and stability in the region.
The rephrased article retained the original HTML structure for consistency.
