The Kremlin has expressed its openness to dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This statement comes as Trump threatens to impose further sanctions on Russia if a swift agreement is not reached with Ukraine.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov stated, “We do not see anything particularly new” in Trump’s remarks, emphasizing the Kremlin's readiness for a respectful and equal dialogue. Peskov noted that Trump’s affinity for sanctions was evident during his first term from 2017 to 2021.
In a message on his platform Truth Social, Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an agreement with Ukraine promptly. He warned, “If we do not make a deal soon, I have no choice but to impose high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on any goods sold by Russia to the United States and other countries.”
Prior to his inauguration, Trump had pledged to end the war in Ukraine swiftly, raising expectations that he might pressure Kyiv into concessions. However, he has since acknowledged the complexities of the situation, with his special envoy Keith Kellogg suggesting a timeframe of at least 100 days to manage peace negotiations.
This period will conclude at the end of April, making the upcoming months critical for de-escalating tensions between Kyiv and Moscow. The conflict, which began nearly three years ago, has resulted in thousands of deaths and continues to see sporadic yet consistent attacks.