Russia Signals Readiness to Resume US-Mediated Ukraine Talks

Moscow has expressed hope that US-mediated peace negotiations with Ukraine will resume in the near future, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Speaking on Wednesday, Peskov indicated that while no formal talks have taken place since February, there is a "confirmed political will" to restart the process.

His remarks came in response to comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who suggested that a roadmap for negotiations could be developed to reach an outcome acceptable to both sides. The statement follows a weekend visit by US negotiators to Moscow and Kyiv, as well as a recent phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Peskov declined to discuss specific details of a potential settlement, noting that Moscow prefers to keep such matters private. However, he confirmed that Russia remains in contact with American counterparts on the issue.

The spokesman also addressed prisoner exchanges between Russia and the United States, describing them as a "constant item on the agenda." He noted that Russia released American Robert Gilman at Trump's request last month.

Major prisoner swaps have occurred periodically between the two countries. The largest such exchange took place in August 2024, when Russia received eight prisoners held in the West, including an FSB officer convicted of murder in Germany. In return, 16 individuals were released from Russian and Belarusian custody, including prominent dissidents and three US citizens, among them Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich.

Despite these signals of engagement, significant differences remain between Moscow and Kyiv over how to end the conflict, now in its fifth year. Ukraine has rejected Russian demands for additional territorial concessions.