The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia’s latest nuclear preparedness exercises had been scheduled in advance, as part of its routine strategic deterrence program. However, this round of drills drew attention for including Tu-95 strategic bombers launching long-range cruise missiles—an escalation in scale rarely seen in recent years.
According to Kremlin officials, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, reported to President Vladimir Putin via video link that the exercises were designed to “practice the procedures for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons.”
Seated alone at a large round white table, Putin was shown on screen conferring with Gerasimov and Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, the two men who would play key operational roles in the event of a nuclear command scenario.
Putin emphasized that the exercises were “long-planned and part of regular readiness measures,” yet their timing—just hours after Donald Trump announced he was postponing a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest—has sparked fresh geopolitical speculation.
Trump said on Tuesday that the talks were “on hold” because he didn’t want them to be a “waste of time.” His decision reportedly followed a phone conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
Lavrov reiterated Tuesday that Moscow opposes an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the postponed meeting between Trump and Putin “must be properly prepared.”
“Neither President Trump nor President Putin wants to waste time,” Peskov told reporters. “Both leaders are accustomed to working efficiently, but true effectiveness requires careful preparation.”
Washington and Brussels Tighten Sanctions on Moscow
At the same time, the United States and European Union jointly announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest oil corporations, marking one of the Trump administration’s most serious economic actions against Moscow to date.
Trump said he had “waited a long time” before approving the measures but now felt it was “the right moment,” framing the move as a response to Russia’s continued escalation in Ukraine.
“I decided it was time,” Trump told reporters, noting that he had also cancelled the Budapest meeting to avoid “sending mixed signals.”
The sanctions add another layer of tension to already strained relations between Washington and Moscow, with diplomatic analysts warning that both sides appear to be hardening their positions even as back-channel communications continue.
