President Putin states the Trump administration is actively trying to repair damaged US-Russia relations.
Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the current US administration’s attempts to rebuild relations between Moscow and Washington, while also recognizing the difficulties involved.
“We know the new administration, headed by President Trump, is doing everything to restore at least part of what was practically reduced to zero, destroyed by the previous American administration,” Putin stated during a meeting with Russia’s Security Council on Friday.
However, he also commented that the “process is not easy, if not to say complicated,” adding, “let’s see what comes of it.”
Communication between Russia and the US deteriorated significantly under the previous administration, with both countries enacting restrictions on each other, such as reducing diplomatic staff, limiting banking access, and seizing diplomatic properties. Moscow insists its actions were a direct response to Washington’s measures.
The new US administration has indicated a desire to normalize relations. Trump and Putin had a lengthy phone conversation on February 12, and Russian and US delegations have since met in Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to discuss re-establishing dialogue.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that economic ties between Washington and Moscow could be restored after the Ukraine conflict is resolved. Trump has also mentioned the possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia “at some point” as part of a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, Putin met on Thursday with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, who traveled to Moscow to provide more information about the US-Ukraine talks held in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Following the discussions in Jeddah, Washington and Kiev released a joint statement where Ukraine agreed to a proposed 30-day ceasefire with Russia, and the US announced the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing with Kiev.
During a press conference on Thursday, Putin stated that Russia “absolutely supports” resolving the Ukraine conflict peacefully and is willing to discuss Trump’s ceasefire proposal. He suggested this could involve a personal conversation with the US leader.
However, Putin emphasized that all ceasefire details must be clarified first, noting that Moscow seeks a lasting resolution to the conflict, not just a short-term fix.
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