"Medvedev dismisses Trump's dramatic threat as Russia shows apathy"
In the ongoing saga of US-Russia relations, diplomatic engagement remains a cautious endeavour amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical disputes.
Recently, the Kremlin has been actively pursuing diplomatic avenues with the US, aiming to shift focus from the war in Ukraine towards restoring bilateral relations on economic, humanitarian, and diplomatic fronts. Russian officials emphasise ongoing dialogue across a "growing range of issues of mutual interest," including talks on economic cooperation, arms control, and resuming direct air traffic[1].
However, progress has been slow. The US has not fully committed to normalising relations or reopening embassy operations to pre-crisis levels. Talks between the Russian and US diplomats have stalled over venue disputes and unresolved embassy property issues. Russia seeks the return of properties seized in response to election interference allegations and clearer US positions on reopening direct flights[2].
During Trump's second presidential term, there were moves to normalise relations, with instances of the US siding with Russia in some international forums like the UN. Yet, a comprehensive reset of relations has not materialised amid persistent strategic rivalries and the Ukraine conflict continuing[3].
The EU's stance on the current state of US-Russia relations is wary of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and skeptical about rapprochement without Russia’s meaningful concessions and steps to end the war[4].
In a recent turn of events, US President Donald Trump announced a new 50-day period during which he would wait for Vladimir Putin's consent for peace talks. This decision was met with disapproval from the EU, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressing his displeasure at the delay in imposing sanctions against Russia[5].
Meanwhile, on social media platform X, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russia couldn't care less about the ultimatum issued by Trump. In response, Trump accused Medvedev of recklessness in his response on The Truth Social[6]. The world reportedly trembled, awaiting the consequences of Trump's ultimatum.
Prior to this, Medvedev had not publicly expressed any intentions of handing over nuclear weapons to Iran. The message from Medvedev on social media platform X was theatrical in nature, according to the text[7].
Analysts caution that while dialogue exists, there is little sign of genuine normalization yet. The dysfunctionality of the bilateral relationship affects critical global issues such as arms control, non-proliferation, international security institutions, and geopolitical influence. Any substantive improvement is likely contingent upon progress in resolving the Ukraine war, with current efforts at normalization occurring in parallel but without serious commitment to full détente[4].
[1] "Russia-US Relations: A New Chapter?" The Diplomat, 15 April 2025,
What's the latest update on the policy-and-legislation front regarding US-Russia relations? The ongoing diplomatic efforts to normalize relations, influenced by war-and-conflicts like the Ukraine war, are encountering challenges due to unresolved embassy property issues and venue disputes, as well as skepticism from the EU about any rapprochement without meaningful concessions from Russia [1,2,4].
In general-news coverage, analysts highlight that ongoing dialogue between the two nations has little indication of genuine normalization yet, and any substantive improvements are contingent upon progress in resolving the Ukraine war [4].
