Medvedev: Trump Just Declared War on Russia

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev declared on Thursday that the United States is now a clear adversary of Russia and that recent actions by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Ukraine amount to an act of war. The comments come after Trump canceled a planned summit with Vladimir Putin and authorized sanctions against two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil.

Medvedev, who is currently deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, emphasized on Telegram that Trump, previously perceived as a “talkative peacemaker,” has fully embarked on a confrontational path. “The decisions taken are an act of war against Russia. Trump has now fully aligned himself with mad Europe,” he wrote, adding that the responsibility for the war in Ukraine now falls on the U.S. leader.

Trump, during his election campaign, had promised to end the Ukraine conflict, which the U.S. frames as a proxy war with Moscow. However, he has recently expressed frustration with Putin and has described Russia as a “paper tiger.” In August, Trump moved two U.S. nuclear submarines closer to Russian waters, citing “highly provocative” statements from Medvedev about potential escalation.

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Medvedev suggested that these U.S. moves provide Russia with a pretext to act more freely in Ukraine, potentially using a broad range of weapons without engaging in unnecessary negotiations. While Putin retains ultimate authority over Russian policy and has expressed willingness to discuss peace, European and Ukrainian officials remain skeptical, warning that Russia might threaten NATO members.

Russia’s foreign ministry maintains that Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine remain consistent: Ukraine must be neutral, non-aligned, demilitarized, and protective of Russian speakers and Orthodox communities. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described U.S. sanctions as counterproductive and warned that following previous U.S. strategies would fail to achieve stability.