MOSCOW - The Kremlin on Thursday reiterated that it values mediation efforts by the United States in the conflict in Ukraine but stressed a core condition for those efforts to be meaningful: impartiality.
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was "deeply grateful" for U.S. attempts to mediate. He added that it is not possible to conduct credible mediation while simultaneously backing one of the parties in the conflict.
"But, of course, it is impossible to make such efforts while being involved in the war on one of the sides," Peskov told reporters. He further said, "Of course, we know that the U.S. negotiating team understands this very well and is fully aware of it. We proceed from that assumption and expect the dialogue with American negotiators on the issue of a Ukrainian settlement to continue."
The comments came after a report in the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine, which has stepped up strikes on Russian oil refineries, believes it has secured backing from U.S. President Donald Trump to act "more boldly" in a campaign intended to pressure Russia into meaningful negotiations. The Kremlin dismissed that account while once again expressing appreciation for U.S. mediation efforts.
Peskov's remarks emphasize Moscow's public position that any outside mediation must not be conducted by a party that it views as taking sides in the conflict. He said Russia will continue to base its expectations on the assumption that American negotiators are aware of this position and will continue talks on a potential settlement in Ukraine.
The exchange highlights an ongoing diplomatic dynamic in which third-party mediation is welcomed in principle by Moscow, provided it is perceived as impartial. At the same time, Kyiv's reported belief in strengthened U.S. backing to escalate pressure on Russia through strikes on energy infrastructure was explicitly noted in the Kyiv Independent report, prompting the Kremlin's dismissal and its restatement of conditions for mediation.
Summary
The Kremlin thanked the United States for mediation efforts while asserting that a mediator cannot simultaneously support one side in the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed a Kyiv Independent report that Ukraine has U.S. encouragement to act "more boldly," and said Russia expects continued dialogue with U.S. negotiators about a Ukrainian settlement.