Previous Trump promises, threats and cajoling have failed to yield results., and the stubborn diplomatic stalemate will be hard to clear away. Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more territory on the front line, although there is no sign of a looming collapse of its defenses.

The Kremlin on Tuesday criticized United States President Donald Trump’s threat to raise tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil, a key source of revenue for Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Trump has given Moscow until Friday to make progress on a peace deal with Kyiv or face new economic sanctions that could include punishments on countries that purchase Russia’s vital oil and gas exports.

Russia hears many statements that are essentially threats and attempts to force countries to sever trade ties with us,” Peskov said. He added that, in Moscow’s view, “sovereign states must have the right to independently choose their trade partners and the format of economic cooperation,

Russia accused the United States on Tuesday of exerting illegal trade pressure on India after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened again to raise tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil.