Russia says US dialogue stalled, accuses Washington of anti-Russian shift

Russia's dialogue with the United States concerning bilateral disputes has effectively stalled, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. Ryabkov stated on June 23 that Washington's stance has shifted towards what he described as "rabid anti-Russian policies," mirroring those of the U.K. and France, and representing a departure from earlier understandings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

These comments emerge as U.S.-mediated efforts to resolve Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine remain largely frozen, with negotiations having stalled since February. Officials have linked this slowdown to the U.S. focus on its military campaign against Iran. Ukraine has been actively pursuing a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin, a proposal that has received support from Trump but has been avoided by the Kremlin.

Moscow perceives that the Trump administration is increasingly conditioning potential progress on de-escalation and broader U.S.-Russia relations on achieving a resolution to the Ukraine war that is acceptable to Washington. This suggests a growing concern in Moscow that the U.S. is less willing to decouple relations from the conflict. However, contrasting with Ryabkov's critical tone, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on June 23 that Moscow remains prepared to hold peace talks with Ukraine at any time.