Russia says Ukraine talks with US continue informally

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed Thursday that communication channels between Moscow and Washington regarding the Ukraine conflict remain open, though strictly on an informal and confidential basis. Speaking to journalists, Lavrov noted that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly addressed this issue, emphasising that while no formal negotiations are currently scheduled, back‑channel contacts persist. However, he expressed scepticism about any imminent breakthrough, pointing out that US mediators are currently preoccupied with other pressing international matters.

Shift in US Focus and Its Impact

Lavrov explained that the United States has delegated a single team of envoys to handle all major foreign policy files, including Iran and Ukraine. As Washington’s attention has been absorbed by the recent military escalation with Tehran, a “certain pause” has emerged in the Ukraine track. Both Moscow and Kyiv have publicly acknowledged that the temporary suspension of trilateral peace talks is directly linked to America’s focus on containing the crisis in the Middle East. This assessment was echoed earlier this week by Peskov, who stated that Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange information with the US through their respective channels.

Previous Rounds and Future Prospects

Three rounds of US‑mediated peace talks have already taken place this year: two in Abu Dhabi (January 23‑24 and February 4‑5) and one in Geneva (February 17‑18). Despite the current lull, Lavrov did not rule out a resumption of formal discussions once American diplomatic bandwidth is no longer consumed by the Iran conflict. For Türkiye, which has consistently advocated for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the war, the pause in negotiations is a matter of concern. Ankara continues to support all initiatives aimed at ending the fighting and has offered its own good offices to facilitate future meetings between the parties.