Russia, US Agree to Continue Dialogue on Ukrainian Peace Plan, Kremlin Says

MOSCOW, Dec 27: Kremlin officials confirmed on Friday that Russian and US representatives have held talks on a potential settlement in Ukraine, following recent consultations in Miami.

Speaking at a press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov and several White House officials discussed a draft peace plan in a phone call. The discussion came after special envoy Kirill Dmitriev briefed President Vladimir Putin on his recent trip to the United States.

“After analyzing the information from Dmitriev, representatives of the Russian and US administrations made contact at the instruction of President Putin. Moscow and Washington have agreed to continue the dialogue,” Peskov said.

The Miami negotiations over the Ukrainian settlement included US envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Peskov declined to comment on Moscow’s assessment of the draft plan brought back by Dmitriev, citing the need to avoid negatively affecting the negotiation process.

Responding to comments by Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, who suggested Ukraine may lack funds to hold elections, Peskov said Moscow could not confirm whether these statements reflect Kyiv’s official position. “We have heard no official statements from Kyiv. But it is an undeniable fact that Kyiv resorts to various tactics to secure funds from the West,” he added.

On Japan’s reported increase in military spending, Peskov urged caution, warning that rising military budgets in the Asia-Pacific region could escalate tensions. “Any increase in military expenditure should be carried out with extreme caution to prevent further escalation,” he said.

The Kremlin’s remarks signal a continued, albeit cautious, engagement between Moscow and Washington over efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.