Kremlin Welcomes U.S. Ukraine Mediation, Plays Down Nuclear Rifts

The Kremlin said on Monday that attempts by the United States to mediate an end to the war in Ukraine are “very important,” signalling Moscow’s readiness to engage with Washington in efforts to defuse the 17-month conflict. A Kremlin spokesperson added that contacts with businessman Steven Witkoff—described in Russian readouts as an envoy for former U.S. president Donald Trump—are “always useful,” and that President Vladimir Putin could meet Witkoff later this week. Moscow also sought to cool tensions over recent exchanges about strategic weapons, stressing it had “no desire” to enter a public dispute with Trump over U.S. nuclear-armed submarines. The Kremlin said it is not discussing any form of nuclear escalation and urged all sides to exercise caution in their rhetoric.