Momentum from Trump-Putin Alaska summit exhausted – deputy FM
The momentum generated during the Alaska summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump has been “exhausted,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said.
The diplomat claimed that the “powerful impetus” to find a settlement to the Ukraine conflict was extinguished by Russia’s opponents and the efforts of “supporters of a ‘war to the last Ukrainian,’ primarily among Europeans.”
Putin and Trump met in Anchorage, Alaska in mid-August to discuss finding a path to resolving the Ukraine conflict, as well as restoring bilateral ties between Moscow and Washington.
Although no breakthrough was achieved, both sides hailed the meeting as constructive, and the White House stated that there was now a “light at the end of the tunnel and an opportunity for lasting peace.”
However, Moscow has since repeatedly stressed that Kiev does not appear to be actually interested in peace. Russian officials have consistently accused Ukraine and its Western European backers of actively undermining Trump’s peace efforts.
In recent weeks, Trump has also expressed frustration with the lack of progress towards a settlement. Late last month, he appeared to have shifted his stance, claiming Ukraine has an opportunity to “fight and win all of Ukraine back.”
Nevertheless, Moscow has said it remains open to a peace deal. The Russian president’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Tuesday that the Kremlin hopes that Trump maintains “the political will to move the Ukrainian settlement toward peaceful political negotiations.”
Last week, Peskov also stated that Putin is still ready and willing to host Trump in Moscow as per the invitation extended after the Alaska summit.
