Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, following Moscow’s announcement that it successfully tested a nuclear-powered missile capable of traveling more than 8,000 miles.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday during his visit to Japan, Trump criticized the missile launch and downplayed the display of military power. “They know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shore,” he said. “So it doesn’t have to go 8,000 miles. They’re not playing games with us, we’re not playing games with them either.”
Trump went on to directly address Putin, urging him to prioritize ending the war over advancing missile technology. “You ought to get the war ended,” he said. “The war that should have taken one week is now in its soon fourth year. That’s what you ought to do, instead of testing missiles.”
The remarks came after Putin revealed details of Russia’s latest weapons test—a nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile—during a briefing at the country’s Joint Force command post on Sunday. Putin described the missile as a “unique weapon that no other country possesses,” boasting an “unlimited range.” Russian Army Chief Valery Gerasimov added that the test flight lasted 15 hours and covered more than 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles), claiming it demonstrated the missile’s ability to evade air-defense systems.
Despite the test, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the development should not further strain relations between Moscow and Washington, noting that ties were already at “a minimum.”
Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have nonetheless escalated in recent weeks. The U.S. imposed new sanctions last week targeting Russia’s two largest oil firms and several subsidiaries, a move intended to “degrade the Kremlin’s ability to raise revenue for its war machine,” according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Moscow condemned the sanctions, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova calling them “counterproductive” and asserting that Russia had “developed strong immunity to Western restrictions.” The European Union also announced its 19th sanctions package, focusing on Russia’s energy, defense, and financial sectors, as well as individuals implicated in the abduction of Ukrainian children.
When asked whether further U.S. restrictions were planned, Trump offered a brief reply: “You’ll find out.”
A planned meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest earlier this month was postponed indefinitely, following what Trump described as an “unproductive” phone call. The two leaders last met in person in August during a summit in Alaska, which ended without an agreement.