Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday expressed cautious optimism about the potential revival of Moscow’s ties with the United States. Speaking during a visit to Sarov in the Volga region of Nizhny-Novgorod, Putin remarked there was “light at the end of the tunnel” now that Donald Trump is in power in Washington, even as the conflict in Ukraine continues.
The visit coincided with the 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry. Sarov, known as the birthplace of the Soviet atomic programme, hosted Putin for a meeting with nuclear industry workers.
Putin on US-Russia Relations
Acknowledging the strained state of bilateral relations, Putin said, “as for our relations with the United States, they are at an extremely low level. I have said this many times. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel now that President (Donald) Trump has come to power.” His comments were broadcast on national television.
Relations between Moscow and Washington have sharply deteriorated over several issues, including the Ukraine conflict, NATO’s eastward expansion, and sanctions imposed on Russia.
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Putin emphasized the centrality of sovereignty to Russia’s survival.
“There are countries that can easily exist without sovereignty. Today, the entire Western Europe has, in fact, no sovereignty. There are also many other countries that are okay about it. However, it’s not for Russia – if Russia loses sovereignty, it will cease to exist in this present form,” he stated.
Donald Trump Sets Timeline for Ukraine Peace Efforts
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Friday announced a two-week time frame to make an “important” decision regarding peace efforts in Ukraine. He warned that Russia could face massive sanctions, or the United States might “do nothing.”
Earlier this week, Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders at the White House. Zelensky indicated his willingness to participate in a trilateral meeting with Putin to negotiate an end to the conflict.
Last week, Trump also met with Putin in Alaska, describing the discussions with the Russian leader as satisfactory. Addressing questions on his next steps, Trump said: “I think I’ll know. I think I’ll know the attitude of Russia, and, frankly, of Ukraine. It takes two.”
He added, “then I’m going to make a decision as to what we do, and it’s going to be a very important decision. That’s whether or not it’s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both. Or do we do nothing and say it’s your fight.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
