Kremlin says it expects US-backed Ukraine peace talks to restart soon

Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia is hopeful the U.S.-mediated dialogue with Ukraine will pick up again soon, after a long pause since February. He referred to a recent remark by Secretary of State Marco Rubio about creating a roadmap for renewed negotiations and stressed that a "confirmed political will" exists on the Russian side. The statement came a day after President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone, and after Trump dispatched his envoys to both Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend.

Peskov added that prisoner swaps remain a constant agenda item, noting the release of American prisoner Robert Gilman at Trump's request. He recalled previous exchanges, including the August 2024 deal that freed eight Western detainees and released several Russian dissidents and U.S. citizens such as journalist Evan Gershkovich.