President Donald Trump's threats to arm Moscow to end the war in Ukraine have met with fierce opposition from some Russian politicians and nationalists, who say his strategy bodes ill for a deal.

Trump said on Wednesday he may impose new sanctions, taxes and tariffs on Russia and Moscow's allies unless Russian President Vladimir Putin reaches a deal with him "very soon" to end the conflict. He said the Russian economy was in recession.

In an apparent attempt to balance his threats with praise, Trump said it was important to never forget that Russia helped the United States win World War II, falsely stating that the then-Soviet Union lost 60 million people in that conflict instead of Russia. Russian authorities estimate the population at 26.6 million.

Putin and Trump have not spoken by phone since Trump took office, and with relations with the new administration still in the early stages, the Kremlin downplayed Trump's threats, saying it "did not see any particularly new elements."

"We carefully note all the nuances. We are still ready for dialogue, and President Putin has spoken about this many times - dialogue as equals, dialogue with mutual respect," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Peskov disputed Trump's statements about World War II, saying the Soviet Union contributed most to the victory over Nazi Germany. He also pointed out Trump's errors in the war's death toll.

Others have been more vocal in saying they believe Trump's heavy-handed approach to Russia makes a peace deal less likely.

Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of the Russian parliament's upper house, pointed out that Trump did not make any demands on Ukraine in the same "Truth Society" article.

"This confirms that he understands the causes, current situation and prospects for resolution of the crisis in Ukraine to about the same extent as he understood the course and outcome of World War II," Kosachev said in a statement. "Also. That is to say, it is lower than the skirting board, which is regrettable and worrying. ”

Influential war bloggers, read by millions of Russians and licensed by the authorities, expressed outrage.

One of them, Voenkor Kotonok, said Trump's comments were "insulting, arrogant and smug." Another war correspondent, Alexander Coats, speculated that the ceasefires in the Middle East gave Trump a false sense of omnipotence.

"Russia is not the Gaza Strip. For a leader who claims to be a peacemaker, starting a dialogue with an ultimatum is not the most far-sighted move. Moscow will never agree to any deal dictated by blackmail and threats," Coates wrote .

Former Kremlin adviser Sergei Markov said Trump's actions so far showed he was unable to bring peace to Ukraine, while high-profile state media talk show host Vladimir Solovyov Said that Trump's threats prove that he is an enemy.

"Is this the way to talk to great Russia?" an angry Solovyov told the audience.

Abbas Gallyamov, a former Putin speechwriter now designated a "foreign agent" by Russia, and others have said he believes Trump's tough approach could backfire, referring to Putin doesn't like to do anything under public pressure. Can be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

"Trump could have taken his time (on Ukraine), but he decided not to delay things and slowly started to put pressure (on Russia)," Galiamov wrote in a blog.

"It's possible that Putin will fight back and get into a stalemate."