Russia on Wednesday acknowledged that hopes for a swift peace settlement in Ukraine have dimmed following the high-profile meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska, signalling a renewed chill in diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict.
The two leaders met at an air base in Anchorage, Alaska, in August but failed to produce any breakthrough to halt the fighting that has raged for more than three and a half years. Since the summit, peace talks have largely frozen, while both Russia and Ukraine continue to launch deadly strikes into each other’s territories amid intensified clashes on the front lines, news agency AFP reported.
Trump, who initially presented himself as a neutral broker, has reportedly become increasingly frustrated with Putin’s refusal to compromise, telling reporters last month that he was “very disappointed” with the Russian president.
Moscow Blames Europe, Warns of Escalation
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news agencies that the “powerful momentum generated by Anchorage in favour of agreements… has largely gone.” He attributed the breakdown to European nations, accusing them of desiring to “wage a war to the last Ukrainian.”
Ryabkov further warned that ties between Moscow and Washington were deteriorating, saying they were “cracking at their foundation,” and blamed the United States for the decline, AFP reported.
Tensions rose further after reports that Washington was considering supplying long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv. US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News last month that such a move was under review. Putin cautioned that this would represent “a whole new level of escalation,” while Ryabkov said the decision could have “severe” consequences.
Deadly Strikes in Belgorod, Kherson
Both Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of targeting civilians on Wednesday. In Russia’s Belgorod region, a missile attack struck the village of Maslova Pristan, killing three people, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Gladkov said the strike hit a “social facility,” later identified as a sports hall, sharing images of the damaged building on Telegram.
In southern Ukraine’s Kherson, a Russian strike killed two elderly civilians, local officials reported. Ukraine’s air force said that Russia had launched at least 183 drones across its territory between late Tuesday and early Wednesday, targeting railway and energy infrastructure, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
Moscow’s defence ministry said it intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over Belgorod, which has repeatedly come under attack.
Russia-Ukraine War In Its Fourth Year
Russia launched its full-scale offensive on Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarising the country and blocking NATO expansion. Kyiv and its European allies, however, have condemned it as an illegal invasion that has caused tens of thousands of casualties and forced millions from their homes.
Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, much of it devastated by continued warfare.
