(MENAFN) Russia expects the United States and NATO to take its stance on the Ukraine conflict seriously and has warned against any attempts to pressure Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated on Tuesday.

The comments follow US President Donald Trump's recent warning that up to 100% secondary tariffs could be imposed on Russia’s trading partners unless meaningful progress is made toward resolving the Ukraine crisis within 50 days. Trump also said the US would continue supplying weapons to Ukraine, with NATO managing funding and distribution.

Ryabkov, speaking at a press conference, said that issuing demands or ultimatums is unacceptable. While Russia remains open to diplomatic negotiations, he emphasized that if Moscow’s readiness to engage is ignored, it will continue to pursue its goals through military action. He stressed that this stance is firm and called on the US and NATO to treat it with full seriousness.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also pushed back against Trump’s ultimatum, arguing that such moves are interpreted in Ukraine as encouragement to keep fighting, rather than pursue peace. He criticized ongoing arms deliveries to Kiev, claiming some European leaders are pushing for further escalation.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow wants clarification on Trump’s new deadline, noting that the US president has previously set various timeframes — from 24 hours to 100 days — without clear reasoning. Lavrov stressed the need to understand what motivates these shifting demands.

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