The Kremlin announced on Sunday that discussions with President Donald Trump’s team were progressing well, despite cautioning that immediate results should not be expected due to the strained relations left behind by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump, aspiring to be known as a peacemaker, has expressed his desire to bring an end to the three-year conflict in Ukraine, which his administration now characterizes as a proxy battle between the United States and Russia, aligning with Moscow’s viewpoint. Following discussions between Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Vladimir Putin, Trump remarked that efforts to resolve the conflict seemed promising, but emphasized the necessity for actions to match words. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reassured that contacts were ongoing through various channels, including the foreign ministry, intelligence agencies, and Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Despite the positive developments, Peskov cautioned against immediate breakthroughs, attributing the challenges to the deterioration of relations under the previous administration. The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by Russia has led to a significant escalation of tensions between Moscow and the West, reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. As negotiations for a peace agreement in Ukraine continued, Trump urged Russia to accelerate the process. While the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Trump was raised, Peskov emphasized the necessity for patience and substantial effort in rebuilding the relationship between the two nations. The conflict in Ukraine is viewed by European leaders and Ukraine as a territorial acquisition by Putin, prompting calls for Russia’s defeat on the battlefield, despite Moscow currently controlling a substantial portion of Ukrainian territory. Putin frames the conflict as part of a broader struggle against a weakening West, highlighting past grievances such as NATO expansion and perceived infringements on Russia’s sphere of influence.
