Kremlin signals potential resumption of Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, may resume shortly. This follows a telephone conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin regarding the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine. While Peskov noted a “confirmed political will” to restart talks, he clarified that Moscow will not publicly disclose specific details regarding a potential peace agreement.

Regarding energy, Peskov argued that Europe is harming its own economy by blocking Russian natural gas. He suggested that moving away from Russian gas has contributed to price increases and that Europe could procure cheaper gas from Russia. He also hinted that the Nord Stream pipeline could potentially resume operations in the near future.

On diplomatic and humanitarian issues, the Kremlin confirmed it is in contact with American counterparts regarding prisoner exchanges. Peskov mentioned that the exchange of detainees remains a permanent agenda item, noting that Russia recently released American detainee Robert Gilman following a request from Trump.