Overview
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia expects the paused peace process to restart and wants the United States to continue mediating.
- Trilateral talks that include Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. last met in February, and a planned follow-up was canceled after Washington shifted focus to the Middle East.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv is ready for another trilateral round and expects U.S. envoys to visit later this spring or early summer.
- Core gaps still block progress, with Ukraine proposing a ceasefire that freezes current front lines and Russia demanding Ukrainian withdrawals from parts of Donbas.
- Peskov’s statement contrasts with April remarks by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that talks were not a priority, reflecting a change in Moscow’s public tone.