Kremlin prioritizes US ties over Ukraine peace talks
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War suggest that the Kremlin is likely not interested in negotiations with the US that would truly lead to a breakthrough in ending the war in Ukraine.
- The Kremlin prefers bilateral talks with the US: Rather than engaging in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, Russia is concentrating on its relationship with the United States.
- Russian narratives undermine support for Ukraine: The Kremlin continues to push narratives aimed at diminishing international support for Ukraine.
- No breakthroughs in negotiations: Russian officials lower expectations for progress in talks, highlighting that many technical issues remain unresolved.
Relations with the US are more important than peace talks
The ISW analysts assert that the Kremlin is not invested in meaningful negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, Russian authorities are prioritizing bilateral discussions 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," the ISW report states.
The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, accused Ukrainians of being "well-bred Nazis," which serves to justify Russian calls for the "denazification" of Ukraine. "These statements continue to signal to the domestic Russian audience that Russians should not expect a meaningful peace in Ukraine in the near term and support Kremlin condition-setting for a protracted war effort," the analysts explain.
Questioning Ukraine's intentions
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of breaching a proposed moratorium on energy attacks, even though the details of this agreement have not yet been finalized. Peskov told the media not to expect breakthroughs as there is still much work to be done on technical issues.
Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, also attempted to temper expectations for the talks, stressing that quick results are unlikely. ISW experts note that the Kremlin is striving to shape the expectations of Russian society, favoring discussions with the US over negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Is the Kremlin aiming to prolong the conflict?
ISW analysts highlight recent comments from Russian diplomats and officials that suggest the Kremlin might be seeking to prolong the conflict.
Russia appears more interested in maintaining the current situation, which could indicate a reluctance to pursue lasting peace. In light of the absence of details about the talks in Riyadh, the Kremlin may be attempting to exploit this scenario for its own political objectives.
