Is Putin's aide threatening Trump with World War III? Ex-Russian President Medvedev warns US President as he mounts heat on Putin to pause Ukraine war

As Russia continues its onslaught against Ukraine, US President Donald Trump said on Monday (July 28, 2025) that he is giving Russian President Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 days to stop the killing in Ukraine. The latest announcement means that the US president has shortened a 50-day deadline he had given the Russian leader two weeks ago in July 2025. Reacting to Trump’s announcement, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia is not Israel or even Iran, and each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.

Putin has regularly warned the US and its NATO allies of taking the war to their doorsteps if they get involved directly in the Russia-Ukraine war. The western-supplied weapons have helped Ukraine in stalling the Russian advance for over three years, but Moscow on many occasions threatened to go nuclear if NATO supplies lethal weapons to attack targets deep inside its territory.


Moscow fired an overnight barrage of more than 300 drones, four cruise missiles, and three ballistic missiles, the Ukrainian air force said. The bombardment from Russia continued to rock Ukrainian cities despite Trump’s pressure to end it. The latest attacks from Moscow also signify that US-led peace talks have failed to gain momentum.

Trump had said on July 14 that he would implement “severe tariffs” on Russia unless a peace deal is reached by early September. Trump said on Monday that he would now give Putin 10 to 12 days, meaning he wants peace efforts to make progress by Aug. 7-9. The plan includes possible sanctions and secondary tariffs targeting Russia's trading partners. The formal announcement would come later Monday or on Tuesday, Trump said.

“No reason in waiting,” Trump said of the shorter timeline. “We just don't see any progress being made.” Putin has “got to make a deal. Too many people are dying,” Trump said during a visit to Scotland.

Ex-Russian president Medvedev calls it ‘step towards war’

Medvedev has called Trump’s deadline announcement a step towards war. He also said the US president is playing the ultimatum game with Russia.

“Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!” Medvedev said in a post on X.

Trump echoes criticism against Putin

As Moscow continued to bombard Ukraine, Trump reiterated his criticism of Putin for talking about ending the war but continuing to bombard Ukrainian civilians. “And I say that's not the way to do it,” Trump said. He added, “I'm disappointed in President Putin.” Asked at a news conference about a potential meeting with the Russian leader, Trump said, “I'm not so interested in talking anymore.”

Still, he voiced some reluctance about imposing penalties on the Kremlin, saying that he loves the Russian people. “I don't want to do that to Russia,” he said, but he noted how many Russians, along with Ukrainians, are dying in the war.

Ukraine has urged Western countries to take a tougher line with Putin. Andrii Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, thanked Trump for shortening the deadline. “Putin understands only strength—and that has been conveyed clearly and loudly,” Yermak said on Telegram, adding that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the sentiment.

Latest attacks in Ukraine

A Russian drone blew out the windows of a 25-story apartment building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration, wrote on Telegram. Eight people were injured, including a 4-year-old girl, he said.

The attack also started a fire in Kropyvnytskyi, in central Ukraine, local officials said, but no injuries were reported. The main target of the Russian attack was Starokostiantyniv, in the Khmelnytskyi region of western Ukraine, the air force said. Regional authorities reported no damage or casualties.

Western Ukraine is on the other side of the country from the front line, and the Ukrainian military is believed to have significant airfields as well as arsenals and depots there.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces carried out an overnight strike with long-range, air-launched weapons, hitting a Ukrainian air base along with an ammunition depot containing stockpiles of missiles and components for drone production.