Russia uses negotiations to avoid US pressure – ISW
Дмитро Пєсков
The Kremlin has effectively acknowledged Russia’s vulnerability to increased pressure from the United States, using negotiations with Washington as a tool to contain new restrictions.
This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War.
Analysts have drawn attention to a statement by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on January 24, in which he criticized US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy methods. Peskov said that such approaches, in his opinion, do not correspond to Russia’s course of forming a “multipolar world”, and also accused the American leader of seeking to force other world leaders to “bow” to him.
ISW noted that since February 2025, Moscow has been trying to balance between a show of force and interaction with the United States. According to analysts, the Kremlin is acting in such a way as to avoid additional pressure from Washington, which could force Vladimir Putin to compromise on the war against Ukraine.
ISW believes that Peskov’s open criticism of US policy and emphasis on Russia’s unwillingness to compromise under pressure indicate the Kremlin’s desire to prevent the introduction of new restrictive measures. Analysts called this statement an indirect recognition of Russia’s vulnerability to increased American pressure.
ISW also noted that the West has still not been able to convince Putin that Russia is not winning the war against Ukraine. This, analysts believe, explains the lack of signals from Moscow about its willingness to compromise.
Analysts stressed that the US and Europe can destroy Putin’s “theory of victory” by increasing pressure on Russia and strengthening Ukraine’s military potential. In particular, ISW called for more active use of frozen Russian assets and limiting the Kremlin’s access to resources for long-term warfare.
Earlier, the Kremlin said that the trilateral talks on Ukraine will continue next week, but the exact date has not yet been determined. According to Dmitry Peskov, one should not expect quick agreements, since the agenda includes fundamental issues.