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Russian President Vladimir Putin showered praise on U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner early Wednesday, saying they were “always welcome” in Moscow, but accused Ukraine of “state terrorism,” adding that “one does not negotiate with terrorists.”
Putin’s remarks, at a 3 a.m. news conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, following a regional security summit — and Russia’s intensifying drone and missile strikes on Kyiv — suggested that he sees little chance of a deal to end his war in Ukraine.
In recent days, Trump administration officials have seemed to make an effort to reengage with Moscow. CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow to meet with counterparts in Russian intelligence. And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent welcomed Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at a Group of 20 finance ministers’ meeting in North Carolina.
Bessent used the gathering in part to seek support for a new U.S. pressure campaign against Iran called “Operation Economic Outcast” — the latest effort by the Trump administration to force the Iranians to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway vital to oil shipments.
But at the meeting in Bishkek, a gathering of leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin pledged continued support for Tehran. At the news conference Wednesday, he also vowed that Russia would keep pummeling Ukraine and dismissed a warning by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia’s skies are no longer safe for aviation because of Ukrainian drones.
“If this has been voiced, it amounts to nothing less than a call for state terrorism,” Putin told reporters. “And I would point out that they are asking us to resume negotiations and requesting face-to-face meetings. One does not negotiate with terrorists.”
In response to a question about Ratcliffe’s visit, Putin said contacts between intelligence services are routine and continued “even during the most difficult times of the Cold War, and all the more so now.”
It was the first time Putin had publicly addressed Ratcliffe’s appearance in Moscow, the first known visit to Russia by a CIA director since late 2021, shortly before Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The visit came after new U.S. intelligence indicated the Kremlin views Washington as weakened by the Iran war, potentially seeing an opening to escalate provocations against U.S. interests or allies.
Putin said that peace talks on Ukraine are “frozen to a certain extent” but that Moscow would welcome “someone who could bring some positivity to the process.”
“That said, we are perfectly comfortable working with people we know well and whom we generally trust — individuals close to President Trump,” Putin continued. “In my view, they are sincere people who strive to imbue our work with concrete substance.”
He added: “President Trump trusts them, which is crucial. … That is why Mr. Kushner and Mr. Witkoff are always welcome guests here, and we enjoy working with them.”
The comments followed a familiar pattern. In response to Washington’s on-again, off-again attempts to draw Moscow back to the negotiating table, Putin showed little appetite to move away from his maximalist goals in Ukraine or his military campaign to achieve them.
Putin lashed out at Ukraine’s threats to devastate the Russian economy, suggesting that Kyiv has little interest in negotiations.
“We need some people to talk to — provided they realize they want to resolve issues peacefully — rather than simply ‘destroying’ our economy ‘in 40 days,’ ‘bringing Russia to its knees,’ or dealing us ‘yet another strategic blow,’” he said.
Putin’s appearances after major international events have become one of the few remaining venues for media access to the Russian president, albeit one that is tightly staged.
At the news conference, Putin also dismissed rumors that Russia would undertake a new general military mobilization. Rumors of a mass conscription, perhaps after parliamentary elections in Russia this fall, have swirled against the backdrop of an intensifying war in Ukraine. Putin called the speculation nonsense.
On Tuesday, hours before Putin spoke, Germany formally blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport early last month, where a device packed with military-grade explosives was found next to a Ukrainian cargo plane. The airport is also used by European and NATO military aircraft.
In retaliation, Germany moved to shut down a Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russia House in Berlin. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident, saying Germany provided no evidence and accusing Berlin of “proceeding down a path of further escalation.”
Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who is more recently known for provocative statements on social media, threatened Germany with a “direct strike” on its military production facilities over the Leipzig accusations.
Germany’s leaders, Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chair of Russia’s security council, wrote, “deserve a direct strike on all German military equipment production facilities … and quite possibly on several other locations in Berlin as well.”
Last week, Russia warned it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine in response to Kyiv’s use of long-range British Storm Shadow cruise missiles against targets inside Russia.
Maria Zakharova, the spokesman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, said Britain was “one step away” from becoming legally complicit in what she called “terrorism” against Russian civilians, warning of “inevitable catastrophic consequences” unless London changes course.
Asked in Bishkek whether Russia was seriously considering strikes on British military facilities, Putin said it was “a military secret.”
Zelensky issued his warnings during his nightly address on Tuesday, saying that “the safe days in Russia’s skies are over.”
“Today, we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer and everyone who still uses Russia’s key airports: Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe,” he said.
Russian authorities, he added, “are not properly informing people about this” — but Russian airspace, in effect, is closing, “the war started by Russia is closing its skies.”