Kremlin Responds to Trump’s Statements: Putin Willing to Meet with U.S. President

The Kremlin insisted on Friday that a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine could not be facilitated by a drop in global oil prices, as suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking from the White House at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said on Thursday that the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries shares responsibility for the nearly three-year-long conflict in Ukraine because it has kept oil prices too high.

“If the price were to drop, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” Trump said, noting that energy sales make up a large portion of Russia’s revenues.

Asked about Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow’s stance that the Ukrainian conflict was caused by the West’s refusal to take Russia’s security interests into account.

“The conflict is not dependent on oil prices,” Peskov told reporters. “The conflict continues because of the threat to Russia’s national security, the threat to ethnic Russians living in those territories, and the refusal by the Americans and Europeans to listen to Russia’s security concerns. It is not linked to oil prices.”

Peskov also stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains willing to engage in talks with Trump.

Peskov’s comments echoed Putin’s previous statements that he had to send troops to Ukraine in February 2022 to prevent a security threat to Russia stemming from Ukraine’s plans to join NATO and to protect Russian speakers living there. Ukraine and the West have condemned Moscow’s actions as an unprovoked act of aggression.

Asked to comment on Trump’s claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready for a peace agreement, Peskov pointed to the Ukrainian leader’s prior decision to rule out any talks with Moscow.

“Zelenskyy cannot be ready for an agreement,” Peskov told reporters, adding that “for a solution to be reached, negotiations must take place, but Zelenskyy has prohibited himself from engaging in negotiations by his decree.”

On Wednesday, Trump threatened to impose heavy taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on Russia if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not reached.

Peskov said the Kremlin was closely monitoring Trump’s statements and noted that he had imposed a series of sanctions during his first term in office. He added that Moscow “remains ready for an equal, mutually respectful dialogue.”

“This dialogue took place between the two presidents during Trump’s first presidency. And we are waiting for signals that we have not yet received,” Peskov concluded.