Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a session at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 12, 2025. REUTERS/Kaan Soyturk/File Photo
Kremlin: U.S.-Russia Contacts Progressing, But Caution Urged on Quick Results
April 13, 2025 — MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Sunday signaled that communication with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is proceeding positively, though officials emphasized that immediate breakthroughs should not be expected, citing the strained state of relations inherited from former President Joe Biden’s tenure.
Trump, who has declared his aspiration to be remembered as a global peacemaker, has repeatedly expressed his intention to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. His administration increasingly portrays the conflict as a proxy war between Washington and Moscow, a characterization that aligns closely with the Kremlin’s narrative.
Witkoff-Putin Talks Signal Diplomatic Engagement
Speaking on Russian state television, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “everything is going very well” in terms of diplomatic contacts between the two countries. He acknowledged that dialogue is taking place through several channels, including the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, intelligence agencies, and President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev.
However, Peskov warned against unrealistic expectations for swift progress, citing the level of “damage” to bilateral ties during the Biden administration. “It is impossible to expect any instant results,” he said.
On Friday, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with President Putin in St. Petersburg for over four hours. The talks focused on efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Russian state television broadcast images of Putin welcoming Witkoff, who responded with a hand-over-heart gesture. Following the meeting, Trump commented that discussions “may be going OK,” but added, “there’s a point at which you just have to either put up or shut up.”
Prospects of Trump-Putin Meeting Remain Uncertain
Asked about the possibility of a direct meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin, Peskov suggested that although progress was being made, more groundwork was necessary. “The two powers are walking along this path together very patiently,” he said, noting that restoring diplomatic ties requires “serious and painstaking work.”
The notion of a Trump-Putin summit remains speculative for now, though both sides have acknowledged the complexity of arranging such a meeting given the current geopolitical climate.
Broader Context: Ukraine Conflict and Western Tensions
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine marked the most significant rupture in East-West relations since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The war has become a defining issue for the international community, with Western leaders characterizing Russia’s actions as an imperialist land grab.
European governments and Ukraine have consistently called for Russia’s military defeat, though Russian forces still maintain control over approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
President Putin continues to frame the conflict as part of a larger struggle against a declining West. He accuses Western nations of undermining Russia since the end of the Cold War by expanding NATO and infringing on areas Moscow considers within its historical sphere of influence — particularly Ukraine.
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