Arabic version: وفد روسي يزور الولايات المتحدة لإجراء محادثات حول نزاع أوكرانيا

A delegation of Russian officials has arrived in the United States for meetings with their American counterparts, marking the first such visit since relations deteriorated due to Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine. According to Al Jazeera, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that the meetings would contribute to reviving bilateral engagement.

Peskov noted that President Vladimir Putin had outlined the main directives for the trip and would be thoroughly briefed on the discussions. The visit occurs as US-brokered negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine remain stalled, with previous rounds failing to produce any compromises from the Kremlin.

Additionally, Russia has been under scrutiny for its close relationship with Iran, with Western intelligence suggesting it supports Tehran amid conflicts involving the US and Israel. Peskov dismissed recent media reports alleging that Russia is close to completing a shipment of drones to Iran, calling them lies.

The backdrop of this visit includes Russia’s recent escalation in military actions. This week, Russia conducted one of its largest aerial assaults since the onset of the Ukraine conflict, deploying 948 drones within a 24-hour period. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on allies to bolster Kyiv’s air defense capabilities, emphasizing the challenges posed by the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.