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‘Titanic efforts': Is Russia accusing Europe of derailing Putin-Trump Alaska talks?
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are seen during the G20 leaders' summit. Reuters/File Photo
As US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, prepare for their talks in Alaska, Russia claimed that unnamed nations are orchestrating 'titanic efforts' to disrupt the planned summit between the two leaders.
The announcement of the meeting with the potential to change the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has heightened tensions significantly, with the European allies calling for the inclusion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the meeting.
In light of this, Kirill Dmitriev, Russia's investment envoy, alleged that certain unnamed countries are working to prolong the war. Dmitriev went on to accuse the unnamed nations of deploying disinformation and provocations to prevent progress toward a ceasefire or peace deal.
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Why it matters
Trump has previously claimed that Russia and Ukraine were nearing a ceasefire agreement that could end the three-and-a-half-year conflict. While the details of the deal Trump is trying to push have not been disclosed, it may involve Ukraine ceding substantial territory, a prospect opposed by many European nations.
Amid the speculations, Dmitriev publicly accused undisclosed states of seeking to sabotage the summit with misinformation and destabilising actions.
'Undoubtedly, a number of countries interested in continuing the conflict will make titanic efforts to disrupt the planned meeting between President Putin and President Trump,' Dmitriev said in a post in his Telegram account on Saturday, specifying that by efforts he meant 'provocations and disinformation,' Reuters reported, although he did not elaborate further.
Soon after Trump's proclamation, the Kremlin confirmed that Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska to pursue a long-term resolution to the conflict, though both sides expect the process to be fraught. It is pertinent to note that this will be the first time Putin has set foot on American soil for 20 years.
Meanwhile, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov told Reuters that the two leaders would 'focus on exploring ways to secure a long-term peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis.' He acknowledged that 'this will clearly be a difficult process,' but stressed that Russia intends to pursue it 'actively and energetically.'
With inputs from agencies.
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