Russia says momentum of Putin-Trump meeting ‘gone’, as Ukraine peace hopes fade

Russia said on Wednesday that momentum towards reaching a peace deal in Ukraine had largely vanished following Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s presidential summit in Alaska, dimming hopes for a quick end to the three-and-a-half-year war.

The two leaders met at an airbase in the Alaskan city of Anchorage in August, but failed to reach any kind of peace agreement to end the fighting.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have since stalled, with both Moscow and Kyiv launching deadly strikes into each other’s territory and Russia advancing on the battlefield.

Trump has grown increasingly frustrated at Putin’s apparent reluctance to accept a deal, saying last month he was “very disappointed” with the Russian leader.

“Unfortunately, we must admit that the powerful momentum generated by Anchorage in favour of agreements … has largely gone,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, according to Russian news agencies.

He blamed Europe for the impasse, and accused them of wanting to wage a “war to the last Ukrainian”.