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The Kremlin warned on Monday that U.S.-Russia relations were teetering on the brink of collapse and declined to confirm whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken with President Donald Trump—despite Trump’s assertion on Sunday that they had.
Speaking at a media conference, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that relations with Washington “are balancing on the brink of a breakup.” He reiterated that the war in Ukraine would continue until Kyiv abandons its NATO ambitions and withdraws from the four regions currently occupied by Russian forces.
Reinforcing Moscow’s hardline stance, Ryabkov insisted that the new U.S. administration must recognize that resolving the underlying causes of the Ukraine crisis is essential to reaching any agreement. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to confirm or deny Trump’s claim that he had spoken with Putin—the former president's first acknowledged conversation with the Russian leader since 2022.
Addressing reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump cryptically commented on his alleged exchange with Putin: “Let’s just say I’ve had it … and I expect to have many more conversations. We have to get that war ended.” Expressing concern over the conflict’s toll, he added, “I hate to see all these young people being killed. The soldiers are being killed by the hundreds of thousands.” However, when pressed for details on the number of conversations, he demurred, saying, “I’d better not say.”
These statements from Trump and the Kremlin arrive at a critical moment for Ukraine, as Kyiv and its European allies anxiously await details of Trump's promised peace plan to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago. Before his inauguration last month, Trump had pledged to end the conflict within a single day once in office.
Commenting on Trump’s remarks, Keir Giles, a senior fellow at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Program, noted that it was tempting to believe the former president was strategically withholding information. However, he added, “Or it could simply be that, as seems to be the case with Trump’s earlier promises of immediate action to bring the conflict to an end, that there isn’t, in fact, a plan yet.”
Further developments may emerge later this week, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to attend the high-profile Munich Security Conference alongside senior U.S. officials. Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday that U.S. officials would be discussing “the details of how to end this war,” which includes bringing both sides to the negotiating table. Waltz added that Trump was prepared to use economic measures—including tariffs and sanctions—to pressure Moscow, while simultaneously reducing U.S. aid to Ukraine in an effort to push European allies to take on a larger role.
Ryabkov’s remarks came shortly after Zelenskyy told British broadcaster ITV that he was open to negotiations with Russia—provided he had firm assurances of continued support from the U.S. and Europe. Zelenskyy also told Reuters on Sunday that he must meet with Trump before any potential talks with Putin, stating, “Otherwise, it will look like a dialogue about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, a Russian drone attack on Kyiv late Sunday injured a woman and damaged several houses in the northeastern city of Sumy, Ukrainian officials reported Monday.
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