Russia says US understands you can't mediate in war while supporting one side

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting of Russia's President Vladimir Putin with Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia June 3, 2026. REUTERS/Ramil Sitdikov/Pool

MOSCOW, June 25 - The Kremlin said on Thursday it valued U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to mediate in the war in Ukraine and believed the U.S. understood that it could not play that role while supporting one of the opposing sides.

The Kyiv Independent reported that Ukraine, which has intensified strikes on Russian oil refineries, believes it has secured Trump's backing to act "more boldly" in a campaign aimed at forcing Russia into meaningful negotiations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report, reiterating that Russia was "deeply grateful" for U.S. mediation efforts.

"But, of course, it is impossible to make such efforts while being involved in the war on one of the sides," he told reporters.

"Of course, we know that the U.S. negotiating team understands this very well and is fully aware of it. We proceed from that assumption and expect the dialogue with American negotiators on the issue of a Ukrainian settlement to continue." REUTERS