Russia is turning up the heat on the U.S. diplomatically, accusing Washington of failing to live up to its side of the bargain from last year's summit between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska. The complaints signal growing frustration in Moscow over stalled Ukraine talks.
According to Reuters, three senior Russian officials have publicly complained over the past several days that the U.S. hasn't followed through on unspecified understandings reached during the August meeting.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Sunday that Russia had remained committed to the agreements, while the U.S. had not fully met its obligations. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went further on Tuesday, suggesting the Alaska meeting may have been used by Washington to buy time for Ukraine to strengthen its military. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov echoed that, saying the U.S. had moved away from what he called the summit's "fundamental understandings."
Despite the criticism, Ryabkov said Moscow intends to continue dialogue with Washington. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The tougher rhetoric comes as Ukraine intensifies drone strikes inside Russia, including attacks on a Moscow-area oil refinery last week. At the recent Group of Seven summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy argued that Kyiv was gaining momentum in the war, a claim Moscow rejects.
Analysts told Reuters that Russia appears disappointed by the lack of recent U.S.-led diplomatic efforts. Oleg Ignatov of the International Crisis Group said Moscow wants Washington to re-engage in negotiations and help secure an end to the conflict on terms favorable to Russia. "There is no structured diplomatic process," Ignatov said, adding that Russian officials are increasingly frustrated by the absence of meaningful talks.
