The key facts

  • Peskov: the Kremlin hopes for a soon meeting between Putin and Witkoff and Kushner; the place and time have not yet been named
  • Moscow wants the Ukraine talks to be conducted by a 'legitimate representative' ready to make decisions
  • Peskov called for the earliest possible resumption of dialogue with the US on strategic stability after the expiration of New START in February 2026

Kremlin Expects a Soon Meeting with American Negotiators

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing in Moscow on Tuesday that the Kremlin hopes to arrange a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the near future. According to him, at such a meeting Witkoff would be able to brief Putin on his contacts with the Ukrainian and European sides, as well as continue the exchange of signals between Moscow and Washington on a number of important issues. Peskov highly praised the mediation efforts of the American negotiators, calling their meetings with Putin 'important, timely and substantive'. He promised to announce the time and place of the next meeting in due course, declining to confirm reports that it would take place in Saint Petersburg.

Comments on the Ukraine Talks

Commenting on US President Donald Trump's words that Volodymyr Zelensky is 'not the right person for negotiations', Peskov said that Moscow wants the talks to be conducted by a legitimate representative of the authorities who is ready to take on responsibility and make the necessary decisions to end the war.

Humanitarian Situation in Oleshky

Addressing the humanitarian crisis in the settlement of Oleshky in the Kherson region, Peskov said that work to resolve it is underway, and that the issue was raised during Putin's conversation with Pope Leo XIV, as well as in a recent phone call between Putin and Trump. According to him, Putin and Trump agreed that human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova would handle contacts on this topic.

Energy, the Arctic and Europe

Answering a question about the possible impact of American measures against sanctioned oil tankers, Peskov suggested addressing it to the US Department of Energy, adding that Russia 'was, is and will remain a reliable supplier of energy resources to world markets'. Speaking about the Arctic, he stated that the region should be a space of mutually beneficial cooperation, not confrontation, and that Russia is open to dialogue with other countries. At the same time, he accused Europe of self-isolation, noting that EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has repeatedly spoken out against dialogue with Russia.

Strategic Stability and Nuclear Disarmament

Answering a question about a possible resumption of dialogue with the US on strategic stability and nuclear disarmament, Peskov said that Russia has repeatedly called for a return to negotiations and warned that the absence of a treaty framework in this sphere is extremely dangerous: 'For the first time in a long time, the world has been left without a treaty framework. This is extremely dangerous.' In his view, negotiations should begin as soon as possible, since they will be complex and will require considerable time. He also added that Russia and the US cannot discuss these topics without taking into account the nuclear arsenals of European countries, primarily the United Kingdom and France. The New START treaty, the last bilateral agreement limiting the strategic nuclear arsenals of Russia and the US, expired in February 2026, leaving the two countries without legally binding restrictions.