Trump began publicly expressing annoyance with Putin following a phone call with the Russian leader on July 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is too early to speak of a definitive shift in the U.S. administration\u2019s approach to relations with the Kremlin. However, a number of signs indicate Moscow\u2019s anxious reaction to Trump\u2019s rhetorical pivot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several Kremlin-linked Telegram channels quickly rushed to \u201cremind\u201d that Russia is continuing negotiations with Ukraine, as Washington demands. For example, the Telegram channel Taynaya Kantselyariya<\/em> (441,000 subscribers) published a post on the afternoon of July 8 citing \u201cinternal sources\u201d who claimed that \u201cthe basic parameters of a future memorandum with Kyiv are currently being coordinated.\u201d The document reportedly aims to set out the principles of a potential political and diplomatic settlement. In addition to standard topics such as Ukraine\u2019s \u201cneutral status,\u201d \u201chumanitarian issues,\u201d and \u201csecurity guarantees,\u201d Kremlin insiders say that territorial issues in the document are to be resolved \u201cthrough the principle of de facto control (\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0446\u0438\u043f \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043b\u044f<\/em>).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This framing of the \u201cterritorial dilemma\u201d appears to be a novelty, especially in contrast to official Russian statements about Moscow\u2019s uncompromising stance on full control over the Ukrainian regions it claims and Kyiv\u2019s formal recognition of that control. Just recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed the Kremlin\u2019s maximalist position in an interview with the Hungarian outlet Magyar Nemzet<\/em>.Ultimately, only Putin can define Moscow\u2019s position regarding the goals of the so-called \u201cSpecial Military Operation.\u201d However, we currently see no indication that Putin is willing to address the territorial issue based on the principle of de facto control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kremlin\u2019s information campaign regarding the peace process is, in reality, intended to persuade U.S. leadership that Russia is open to certain concessions. In fact, Moscow is likely attempting to present Trump with a mirage of opportunities for progress on the negotiation track – hoping to convince the U.S. President to postpone decisions on sanctions and military aid to Ukraine. It is likely that in the near future, representatives of the Russian government who have previously participated in simulated negotiations will try to re-engage with the American leader through simulated negotiation efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Russia revealed its true intentions toward Ukraine just hours after the critical remarks about Putin were made at the White House. By launching a massive missile and drone strike on Ukrainian territory, the Kremlin sent a clear message to Washington: the Russian leadership has no intention of making any compromises on the Ukraine issue. Despite its declarative participation in negotiations with Kyiv, Moscow was never interested in the Trump administration\u2019s peace proposals – even if they include concessions at Ukraine\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Trump](\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/07\/08\/multimedia\/08trump-news-trump-putin-topart-plkv\/08trump-news-trump-putin-topart-plkv-videoSixteenByNine1050.jpg\")
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