Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the United States is making “sincere” and “energetic” efforts to halt the war in Ukraine, crediting the Trump administration for moves aimed at securing a cease-fire and a broader peace agreement. Putin spoke in Moscow at a briefing with his top security officials, one day before he is due to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska. Putin also floated the possibility of a new bilateral accord on nuclear arms control, arguing that progress on both the Ukraine conflict and strategic stability would reinforce global security. The remarks mark one of the most positive assessments of U.S. diplomacy from the Kremlin since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 and set an unexpectedly conciliatory tone ahead of the leaders’ first in-person summit.