Kremlin prioritizes US ties over Ukraine peace talks
The Kremlin seemingly lacks interest in negotiations with the US that could genuinely lead to a breakthrough in ending the war in Ukraine, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War.
- The Kremlin prefers bilateral talks with the US: Rather than engaging in negotiations to conclude the war in Ukraine, Russia is concentrating on its relations with the United States.
- Russian narratives undermine support for Ukraine: The Kremlin continues to propagate narratives aimed at diminishing international support for Ukraine.
- No breakthroughs in negotiations: Russian officials downplay expectations for progress in talks, underscoring that numerous technical issues remain unresolved.
Relations with the US are more important than peace talks
According to ISW analysts, the Kremlin is not interested in meaningful negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, Russian authorities are focusing on bilateral talks with the US. "The Kremlin is recirculating existing narratives aimed at undermining support for Ukraine amid the negotiations in Riyadh and likely remains uninterested in conducting meaningful negotiations to end the war," reads the ISW report.
The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, accused Ukrainians of being Nazis, intending to justify Russian demands for the "denazification" of Ukraine. The analysts say that these statements are meant to signal to Russian observers that they should not expect a lasting peace in Ukraine.
Questioning Ukraine's intentions
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of violating the proposed moratorium on energy attacks, even though the details of this agreement have not yet been established. Peskov added that there is no need to expect any major breakthroughs and that much work remains on technical matters.
Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, also sought to manage expectations for the talks, emphasising that quick results should not be expected. ISW experts note that the Kremlin is trying to shape the expectations of Russian society, favouring talks with the US over negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Is the Kremlin aiming to prolong the conflict?
ISW analysts suggest that recent statements from Russian diplomats and officials indicate that the Kremlin might be aiming to prolong the conflict.
Russia appears more interested in maintaining the current state of affairs, which may indicate a lack of desire to achieve lasting peace. Given the lack of details regarding the talks in Riyadh, the Kremlin may be attempting to use this situation for its own political purposes.
