On Friday, January 24, the Kremlin revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to engage in discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, but stressed that Moscow is waiting for “signals” from Washington before proceeding. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov conveyed this message to the press, reaffirming Putin’s openness to initiating dialogue with the U.S. leader. Both Presidents have shown a willingness to meet and address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, President Trump has warned of tougher economic sanctions on Russia unless Moscow agrees to deescalate the situation.
Peskov refrained from offering details regarding the potential meeting, stating that it was “hard to read coffee grounds” when it came to predicting the chances of such talks happening. In addition, the Kremlin spokesperson rejected Trump’s recent suggestion that the war in Ukraine could be resolved by lowering oil prices. While speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Trump indicated that he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to reduce oil prices, claiming that it would lead to the end of the conflict.
Peskov dismissed this idea, explaining that the war is rooted in Russia’s national security concerns and the well-being of Russians living in Ukraine. He also criticized what he described as the “lack of desire and complete refusal” by Americans and Europeans to acknowledge Russia’s concerns, positioning this as a central factor in the ongoing crisis.
This statement highlights the ongoing tensions between the two countries as the international community continues to closely follow the developments surrounding the Ukraine conflict.
