Moscow confirms intensified contacts with Washington
Photo: Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Ryabkov (facebook.com/MIDRussia)
There are certain contacts between Moscow and Washington at the level of foreign ministries. The details are not being disclosed, according to Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Ryabkov.
"I have nothing to add to what the press secretary of the president has said. There are certain contacts, but I have no basis to disclose any details on this matter. However, in general, the process is ongoing," said the official.
According to him, there is no agreed schedule for contact between Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump at the moment, but as the situation clarifies, agreements will be reached, in his opinion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking with journalists in Moscow on February 10, reiterated his previous statement regarding whether a phone call had taken place between Putin and Trump: "I cannot say anything more. I cannot confirm or deny it."
On February 9, Trump, speaking with journalists aboard Air Force One, stated that, in his opinion, the United States was making progress but declined to provide any details on contacts with Putin. "I don’t want to tell you about the conversations," said Trump.
When asked whether he had spoken with Putin since he became president on January 20 or earlier, Trump replied, "I’ve had it. Let’s just say I’ve had it...And I expect to have many more conversations. We have to get that war ended (Russia’s war with Ukraine)."
The last time Putin spoke with US President Joe Biden was in February 2022, just before the invasion of Ukraine.
Trump, the author of the 1987 book "Trump: The Art of the Deal," has repeatedly stated that he wants to end the war and would meet with Putin to discuss this issue, though the date and location of such a summit remain publicly unknown.
Trump also announced that he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy next week to discuss ending the war.
