"I can say that contacts at the level of certain departments do exist. Recently, they have intensified. I cannot provide any further details," Peskov said at a briefing.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Feb. 4 that his country is engaged in "very constructive talks on Ukraine" to halt Russian aggression.
"We are having very good talks, and I think we will succeed. I think something significant will happen, I hope," Trump said at a press conference.
Potential Trump-Putin negotiations
On Jan. 22, the president used his Truth Social account to urge Putin to “make a deal,” warning that Russia’s economy “is collapsing” and could get worse. He threatened to impose steep duties, tariffs, and sanctions on all goods Russia sells to the United States and other involved nations if a deal is not reached “soon.”
Trump added he expects negotiations with the Russian leader in the near future and is ready to meet “anytime.” Previously, Putin had called for “dialogue on an equal and mutually respectful basis” with the United States.
On Jan. 27, Kremlin officials stated they had received no signals from the United States regarding a possible Trump-Putin conversation. On Jan.30, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed the two leaders had not yet spoken.
On Feb. 1, Trump announced that his administration had held "very serious" discussions with Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. He also hinted at an upcoming conversation with Putin and expressed hope for "significant" actions to end the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Feb. 4 that he is willing to engage in talks with Putin if it is the only option to achieve peace.