Amid whispers of high-level U.S. delegations heading to Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared Thursday that dialogue with the United States on Ukraine remains indispensable. He welcomed prospective visits from Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special representative, and Jared Kushner, stating Russia looks forward to these once timelines are set.
Peskov nodded to Trump’s diagnosis of the impasse, concurring that Zelenskyy is the primary barrier to advancing peace negotiations. Ukraine’s leverage, he warned, is eroding by the day, squeezed by military setbacks and economic woes. The U.S. President had zeroed in on Zelenskyy when questioned on why conflict persists despite American mediation efforts.
Shifting to nuclear matters, Peskov noted silence from the U.S. on Russia’s bid to prolong New START constraints for 12 more months. Enacted in 2010 and extended to 2026, the accord regulates strategic nuclear forces, serving as a vital bulwark against arms races between the nuclear giants.
Putin’s September statement had floated continued observance if mirrored by Washington. With Trump’s return to the White House looming, the Kremlin’s overtures suggest an opportunistic pivot toward bilateral talks, potentially reshaping the Ukraine narrative. Observers caution that while dialogue is vital, entrenched positions on both sides could prolong the stalemate, testing the resilience of global non-proliferation regimes.