Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov said Thursday that efforts by Russia and the United States to reach a peace deal in Ukraine were still alive, directly contradicting comments from a senior diplomat who claimed a day earlier that momentum toward clinching a deal had faded.
President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a brief summit in Alaska on Aug. 15, talks that at the time had been billed as an opportunity to break a deadlock in Ukraine peace negotiations.
However, the meeting ended without any breakthrough and Trump has since adopted a tougher tone toward Moscow, repeatedly saying he is “very disappointed” with Putin.
On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state media that “momentum” from the Alaska summit had been “exhausted” and blamed Ukraine’s European allies for undermining efforts between Moscow and Washington to end the war.
Ushakov, without calling out Rybakov directly, said it was “completely incorrect” to suggest that ongoing discussions with U.S. officials about finding a path toward peace in Ukraine had reached an impasse.
“The understandings and agreements that were reached in Anchorage might not please everyone. Europeans and the Ukrainian regime, for example, don’t like them,” Ushkakov told the state broadcaster Channel One. “In other words, those who don’t seek a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis don’t like them.”
However, Ushakov insisted, Russian officials will “continue to work with the Americans” based on the conversation Putin and Trump had in Alaska, stressing that the two leaders reached a “substantial understanding.”
The conflicting statements from Moscow come as U.S. officials weigh sending long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, a move that Putin has previously warned would bring a “whole new level of escalation.”
Trump told reporters at the White House this week that he had “sort of made a decision” on sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine as his impatience grows over Putin’s refusal to participate in direct negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
