Vladimir Putin recently boasted about Russiaโs new nuclear weapon, calling it โinvincible.โ
Now, Trump responds with a stern warning.
Low-flying weapon
Itโs starting to feel like a scene straight out of the Cold War, with world leaders boasting about new weapons and the shadow of nuclear conflict looming.
On Sunday, October 26, Vladimir Putin praised Russiaโs latest missile test, which reportedly flew 8,700 miles in 15 hours. Dubbed a โflying Chernobyl,โ the missile is said to have the capability to reach the U.S.
The Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile, which can be armed with nuclear warheads, reportedly reached a speed of 14,000 kilometers per hour.
Since the missile is nuclear-powered, there has been speculation that it could release radioactive material during flight, though experts say this is unlikely.
According to Russian state media, Putin hailed the weapon as a โunique productโ and claimed it is โunlike anything else in the world.โ He added, โWe need to identify potential uses and begin preparing the infrastructure for deploying this weapon in our armed forces.โ
The experimental low-flying weapon, initially revealed in 2018, is touted as having virtually unlimited range.
Trumpโs answer
Donald Trump, however, seemed unimpressed by the missile bragging, telling reporters:
โWe test missiles all the time, but you know, we do have a submarine, a nuclear submarine. We donโt need to go 8,000 miles. Theyโre not playing games with us. Weโre not playing games with them either.โ
He continued, โI donโt think itโs an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying. By the way, he ought to get the war ended. A war that should have taken one week is now in its, soon, fourth year. Thatโs what he ought to do instead of testing missiles.โ
This warning comes shortly after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an effort to push for talks toward a potential ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
Spoke from Air Force One
Speaking to Axios, Zelenskyy said, โPresident Trump is concerned about escalation. But I think that if there are no negotiations, there will be an escalation anyway. I think that if Putin doesnโt stop, we need something to stop him. Sanctions is one such weapon, but we also need long-range missiles.โ
During his re-election campaign, Trump promised to quickly end the war in Ukraine, but talks with Russia have repeatedly stalled.
During their tense White House meeting earlier this month, reports indicate that Trump warned Zelenskyy that Putin โwill destroy youโ and allegedly urged Ukraine to consider accepting some of Putinโs demands, including surrendering the Donbas region โ a proposal Zelenskyy has firmly rejected.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One ahead of his Asia trip, Trump highlighted Americaโs own capabilities, saying, โThey know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shore.โ
