Peskov Hopes Trump Maintains Peace Initiatives After U.S. Midterms

The Republican defeat in the U.S. midterm elections prompted careful observation in Russia, as observers weighed whether the shift could bring increased support for Ukraine when Democrats take control of Congress in January.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov voiced hope that U.S. President Donald Trump will maintain his peace initiatives despite the congressional shake-up. Peskov pointed to upcoming trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, involving Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. representatives.

“There is groundwork already in place, and another round of trilateral negotiations is set to take place very soon,” Peskov said.

Peskov also commended the humanitarian peace-building efforts led by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. A limited ceasefire near the Russia-occupied city of Oleshky facilitated aid deliveries and resident evacuations.

Trump recently executed a diesel fuel import deal with Russia, reversing long-standing U.S. pressure and drawing criticism from European allies and Ukraine. Trump argued that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries caused domestic diesel price spikes, urging Kyiv to halt those attacks.

An executive order temporarily paused sweeping sanctions against the Russian economy, a move lawmakers from both parties criticized as benefiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Ukraine experienced a throttling of Starshield, the military-grade version of the Starlink satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. While Trump denied personal involvement, the service restriction created difficulties for Ukrainian drone operations and frontline communications.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council and former Russian president, predicted that Trump will face reduced incentive to pressure Ukraine once the new Congress takes office. Medvedev stated that Trump wants to avoid unnecessary confrontations with Democrats.

Kosachev argued that the U.S. president retains broad constitutional powers over foreign policy. Kosachev asserted that Kyiv and its European allies have sided with Trump’s domestic political adversaries and are all but guaranteed two years of a hard-line Trump.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism regarding potential assistance from the incoming U.S. Congress, noting that Democrats offer clear backing for Kyiv. Zelenskyy also seeks expedited delivery of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors to defend against ballistic missile strikes.