The Sarov Signal: Putin Praises Trump from Russia’s Nuclear Heartland

From Sarov, the historic heartland of Russia’s nuclear program, President Vladimir Putin sent a significant signal to Washington, praising President Donald Trump as a “light at the end of the tunnel” for strained US-Russia relations. This remark comes even as his country faces a new ultimatum from the American leader.
President Trump has given a two-week window for progress on the Ukraine war, after which he will decide on a course of action. The options he laid out are extreme: “massive sanctions” against Russia or a policy of inaction. This high-pressure tactic is aimed at catalyzing direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
The entire diplomatic community is now focused on whether a meeting between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, will be arranged. Zelensky has shown openness to the idea. Trump, after his own recent talks with both leaders, has made this a key benchmark for his upcoming decision.
While Putin’s words about Trump suggest a possible thaw, he also reaffirmed Russia’s unyielding position on sovereignty. He told his audience of nuclear workers that Russia, unlike Western European nations, would “cease to exist” if it lost its sovereignty, a statement that underscores the gravity of the ongoing geopolitical standoff.