The Kremlin stated that President Vladimir Putin was open to discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump but was awaiting “signals” from Washington.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, “Putin is ready. We are waiting for signals” from the United States. Both Putin and the newly inaugurated U.S. President have expressed willingness to meet and discuss the situation in Ukraine.
President Trump has warned Russia of harsher economic sanctions unless Moscow agrees to end the conflict. However, Peskov declined to comment on the possibility of a meeting between the two leaders, remarking that predicting such an event was “hard to read in coffee grounds.”
Peskov also dismissed Trump’s claim that the conflict in Ukraine could be resolved by reducing the price of Russian oil. “This conflict does not depend on oil prices,” he said. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump suggested he would urge Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower oil prices, stating, “If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately.”
In response, Peskov emphasized that the conflict stems from “threats to Russia’s national security,” the safety of Russians living in Ukraine, and the refusal of Americans and Europeans to address Russia’s concerns.
