Moscow has claimed that momentum in a push for peace in Ukraine supposedly generated by a US-Russia summit in Alaska in August has now been squandered, mostly because of European leaders, who it accused of wanting to prolong the war.
“Unfortunately, we have to state that the powerful impetus generated by Anchorage in favour of agreements has been largely exhausted due to the efforts ... of supporters of war ... primarily among Europeans,” Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday.
US president Donald Trump failed to achieve a breakthrough in Alaska in his bid to end Russia’s 3½-year invasion of its pro-western neighbour, and has since said repeatedly that he is disappointed by Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin’s refusal to hold talks to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Moscow still hopes that Mr Trump’s long-standing desire to improve US-Russia relations will help it secure a favourable outcome in the war, however, and strenuously avoids personal criticism of the US leader while accusing European states and Kyiv of blocking peace efforts.
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Mr Trump and his allies have often mentioned the huge investment opportunities that could result from a US-Russia rapprochement, and Moscow diplomats reiterated warnings that the possible US supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine would destroy hopes of any potentially lucrative diplomatic breakthrough.
“I hope those who urge Washington toward such a decision understand the depth and severity of its consequences,” Mr Ryabkov warned. “We, for our part, call on the US administration and servicemen to approach this whole situation prudently and responsibly.”
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Kyiv receiving Tomahawks – which would put Moscow in striking range of Ukraine – “not only risks a spiral of confrontation, but would also cause irreparable damage to Russian-American relations that have only just begun to show signs of a return to bilateral dialogue.”
Mr Putin has said “it is impossible to use Tomahawk missiles without the direct participation of US servicemen”, and senior Russian deputy Andrei Kartapolov warned on Wednesday that Russia’s response would be “tough, ambiguous, measured and asymmetrical”.
“We will find ways to hurt those who cause us trouble,” he added. “We know these missiles very well, how they fly, how to shoot them down ... The only problems will be for those who supply them and those who use them; that’s where the problems will be.”
[ Biggest Russian air strike on Ukraine’s gas system increases fears for winterOpens in new window ]
Mr Zelenskiy said he had asked Mr Trump for long-range US weapons at their most recent meeting last month, and he has urged the West to respond more robustly to a recent escalation of Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure in advance of winter and to disruptive drone flights near large European airports that he says are part of Moscow’s attack on the Continent’s security.
“The head of [Ukrainian] foreign intelligence reported in detail on how the Russians are utilising tankers of their ‘shadow fleet’ – not only to finance the war, but also for sabotage and various destabilisation attempts in Europe. Recent launches of drones from tankers are one such example,” Mr Zelenskiy said, referring to the ageing ships Moscow is using to circumvent western sanctions on its oil industry.
Russia has rejected suggestions that it is behind the drone flights near European airports and other sensitive facilities, and no proof of its involvement has been made public.
Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday that at least five civilians had been killed and 37 injured in Russian strikes over the previous 24 hours, and a power station had suffered “serious damage”.
Russian officials said at least three people had been killed and one hurt in a Ukrainian missile strike on the border city of Belgorod.
