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President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that the nuclear submarine he ordered to counter Russia was ahead of Steve Witkov’s visit, which is now “in the region” and is ahead of us.
Before boarding the Air Force in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Trump was asked whether nuclear submarines were already deployed to “play against Russia.” Trump said on Friday that he ordered two nuclear submarines to be “placed in the right area” in response to what he considered a “very provocative statement” from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev about a potential war with the United States.
“I’ve already made a statement, and the answer is that they’re in the area, where they have to,” Trump told reporters at Lehigh Valley International Airport on Sunday.
Trump said Witkov is expected to travel to Russia “on Wednesday or Thursday.” Russian state media reported on Monday that Witkov would arrive on Wednesday. The visit comes ahead of the Friday deadline when Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to either reach a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine or face additional sanctions and tariffs. Trump has also warned of potential secondary tariffs on Russian energy buyers.
Trump polishes Russian Medvedev after “war”: “see his words”
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding the Air Force at LeH Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (AP Photo/Julia Demarie Nikinson)
“Well, there are sanctions, but they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions. They are wi characters and they’re pretty good at avoiding sanctions,” Trump told reporters in front of Marine Wang. “So we’ll see what happens.”
Asked about Witkov’s message to Moscow, if there’s anything Russians can do to avoid sanctions, Trump said on Sunday, “Yeah, get a contract to stop people being killed.”
“A huge number of Russian soldiers have been killed. And likewise Ukraine, a smaller number, but still thousands. And now we’re adding towns where they’re being attacked by missiles. “We’ve stopped a lot of countries from war, India, Pakistan. We’ve stopped a lot of countries. And we’re going to stop that too. Somehow. We’re going to stop one of them. It’s a really scary war.”
“This should be the easiest to stop, and it’s not,” Trump added.
Last week, before ordering to deploy nuclear submarines, Trump had warned Medvedev, vice-chairman of Russia’s Security Council, to “see his words.” Medvedev complained that Trump had shortened the deadline for the Russian Ukrainian ceasefire from 50 days to 10-12 days, saying the “ultimatum” is a threat to the war “not between Russia and Ukraine, but between his own country.”
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese and Russian warships will take part in joint naval training in the East China Sea on December 27, 2022 (AP via Xu wei/Xinhua, file)
Despite Trump warning that Medvedev was in “dangerous territory,” Russian officials doubled and referenced Russia’s “dead hands.”
The United States and Russia own the world’s largest nuclear weapons.
Kremlin top spokesman Dmitry Peskov reportedly downplayed the US deployment of US submarines on Monday. He told reporters: “American submarines already have a combat obligation — that’s a constant process.” According to the Russian news website Meduza, the Russians said “I don’t think this is an example of any kind of escalation.”
Asked about Medvedev’s remarks, Peskov said that although members of the leadership of any country have different views, Putin emphasized that he would decide on Russia’s foreign policy.
According to the Moscow Times, Peskov added at a press conference. “Russia is firmly committed to nuclear non-proliferation and believes that when it comes to nuclear rhetoric, all parties should exercise maximum restraint.”
Trump announces 25% tariffs in India, knocking off “unpleasant” trade barriers, buying Russian troops and energy
Meanwhile, Beijing and Moscow have deepened their ties in recent years, with China risking economic life on Russia in the face of Western sanctions over Ukraine’s invasion in 2022.
Russia and China have launched mock combat training and other war games in the Sea of Japan, Telegraph reported. The newspaper quoted a statement from China’s Ministry of Defense, and the three-day campaign includes four Chinese ships, including guided missile destroyers Xiaoxing and Ulmki, “submarine rescue, air defense and defense operations, and Maritime Convert” and “submarines, air defense operations, and Maritime Convert.”
At a press conference to announce details of last week’s annual drill, China’s Ministry of Defense spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said the 2025 joint sea movement will take place in the air and in the sea near the Russian port city of Vladivostok, located across the sea from Japan’s west coast. Last year, drills were restrained from southern China in the South China Sea.
“This is an arrangement within the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian forces. It is neither targeted at third parties nor is it related to the current international and regional situation,” Zhang said.
China and Russia also signed a “no-restriction” economic partnership shortly after the war in Ukraine began.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding the Air Force at LeH Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (AP Photo/Julia Demarie Nikinson)
Chang criticized the continued training that the US Air Force is carrying out with Japan and other partners in the Western Pacific. According to the US military, Resolute Force Pacific is the largest accidental response campaign ever made by the air force in the area. The US Air Force said their movement will train the troops to demonstrate their ability to train preparations, maintain missions under stress, and protect the US and partner countries in the Pacific.
“The US is blindly bent muscles in the Asia-Pacific region and is trying to use military training as an excuse to gang-rape, threaten and pressure other countries and undermine peace and stability in the region,” Chan told reporters.
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In its annual report earlier this month, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said China’s growing military cooperation with Russia has raised serious security concerns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Daniel Wallace is a news and political reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and to X:@danimwallace.
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