The Kremlin is increasingly anxious that the emerging rift in between the U.S.
and Ukraine might thwart a prospective contract between Washington and Moscow, The Moscow Times sources say.As U.S.
President Donald Trump pushes for a swift end to Russias three-year war on Ukraine, Moscow and Washington have actually embarked on parallel talks targeted at looking for an agreement on rapprochement.Russian authorities have been steering to embed a wide range of demands into the deal not just securing Russias supremacy over Ukraine, however likewise dealing with crucial bilateral problems such as the remediation of diplomatic ties, lifting sanctions and introducing joint resource advancement jobs in the Arctic and Russia.
Such an agreement could supply the Kremlin with much-needed long-lasting financial investments and access to technologies it currently lacks.Tensions between Trump and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, who insists that Kyiv requires concrete security guarantees before there can be peace, boiled over on Friday in a heated clash in the Oval Office.Following the spectacular episode, for which Zelensky appeared to say sorry on Tuesday, the Kremlin now frets that its chances at securing its favored result in a deal with Washington may be at danger, 2 Russian government authorities, two diplomats and a source near the Kremlin informed The Moscow Times.We [Russia] are valuable to Trump mainly in the context of fixing an issue: the war in Ukraine.
If that concern falls off the program, then the whole program is thrown into question what else is there to discuss? a Russian diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the level of sensitivity of the matter.The main turn-on for Trump is the ability to represent himself as a male who can fix an extremely hard problem.
If Ukraine does not consent to his terms, the entire formula loses its significance, another Russian diplomat added.According to one Russian federal government official, Moscows portfolio of interests in the high-intensity assessments with Washington that began in February far surpasses what would usually be considered U.S.
priorities.Given Trumps mood, arms control doesnt particularly interest him.
Regional problems? He can deal with a lot of them without us.
Thats why a few of our people are commemorating right now however it may be early, the official informed The Moscow Times.While U.S.-Russia relations are not solely based on Ukraine, they hold a specific strategic importance for Washington, another Russian diplomat noted.
The Kremlin sees potential leverage in locations like the Arctic and Moscows capability to assist in U.S.
talks with Iran.But none of these problems are as compelling to Trump without the Ukraine element, the diplomat admitted.Trumps choice on Monday to pause military help to Ukraine stimulated a surprised, yet passionate reaction from the Kremlin.
Russian officials invited the relocation, viewed as handing Moscow a significant benefit both militarily and in regards to morale.If the United States stops [military materials], this would most likely be the very best action toward peace, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, calling it an option that could really press the Kyiv program toward a peace process.Nevertheless, Peskov said that Russia would continue to keep an eye on developments on the ground, noting that the U.S.
has actually stayed Kyivs leading military provider considering that Moscow introduced its full-blown intrusion in February 2022.
Completion of Western military aid to Ukraine has been among the Kremlins crucial needs because the invasion, along with prohibiting Kyiv from joining NATO, installing a Russia-friendly regime, altering Ukraines language policy and substantially minimizing the size of its army.Until now, Washington and Ukraines other allies had actually steadfastly rejected its military materials stop as absolutely unacceptable.
Following Trumps election triumph, the U.S.
has actually shifted its position to the opposite extreme.Despite the uncertainty surrounding Trumps management in brokering an end to the war, the Kremlin remains hopeful that a mix of U.S.
political pressure and Russian military force will eventually push Kyiv into negotiations.But Moscow assumes that any future deal will enforce even harsher terms on Ukraine than before the Oval Office confrontation, a Kremlin-linked source and a Russian diplomat informed The Moscow Times.Our dialogue with the Trump administration continues.
We will keep pushing propositions to end the dispute, hoping that Zelensky will sooner or later return to the White House at which point we can tighten the screws even further, a Russian diplomat said.President Vladimir Putin appeared to voice Moscows anxieties about the U.S.-Russia deal, informing a conference of FSB officials on Feb.
27: We recognize that not everyone enjoys to see Russia-U.S.
contacts resume.
A portion of Western elites are still devoted to keeping instability in the world, and these forces will try to disrupt or to jeopardize the freshly resumed dialogue.
You and I see this.
We need to keep this in mind and leverage every possibility used by diplomacy and unique services to ward off such attempts.Amid the constantly shifting dynamics, Putin is most likely to double down on two techniques, a Kremlin expert told The Moscow Times.The first method will see Moscow attempt to shift global blame for extending the war onto Zelensky and portray itself as the celebration looking for peace.
Moscow will strive to advance as far as possible on the battlefield before any possible deal is struck.If Ukraine has actually taken this stance, we must do everything to guarantee that Kyiv bears the blame for extending the conflict, a Kremlin-linked source stated.
We require to actively state our desire for peace They [the Ukrainians] refuse, however we are ready!As long as we hold the strategic initiative, stopping would be unreasonable.
We will maintain the pressure on the cutting edge, another source included.