Kremlin Maintains Trump Still Committed to Ukraine Peace Despite Shift in Rhetoric

Moscow:

The Kremlin expressed on Thursday its belief that US President Donald Trump remains dedicated to pursuing peace in Ukraine, despite his sudden change in rhetoric favoring Kyiv earlier this week.

Following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, Trump declared his confidence that Ukraine could recover all territory seized by Russia, which currently controls approximately one-fifth of the country. Trump also suggested Ukraine should act promptly, taking advantage of Russia's economic challenges.

Trump's vice president, JD Vance, informed reporters on Wednesday that the president was becoming "incredibly impatient" with Russia because they were not "putting enough on the table to end the war."

"If the Russians refuse to negotiate in good faith, I think it's going to be very, very bad for their country. That's what the president made clear. It's not a shift in position. It's an acknowledgement of the reality on the ground," Vance explained.

When asked about Vance's comments and whether Russia perceived them as contradicting Washington's expressed desire to help end the conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded:

"No, it does not. In fact, we see different rhetoric coming out of Washington. For now, we assume that Washington retains the political will, and President Trump retains the political will, to continue efforts toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine."

"We support these efforts, and Russia remains open to entering into peace talks."

Some Russian nationalists have suggested that Trump's remarks indicated he would distance himself from efforts to resolve the war, which is now in its fourth year. The Kremlin previously stated it believed Trump's rhetoric was influenced by his recent meeting with Zelenskiy.

It remains unclear whether Trump will support his words with changes in US policy. Some analysts and European officials told Reuters they believed his statements were intended to signal to European leaders that they should increase their support for Ukraine's weapons and financial needs.