Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the war between Russia and Ukraine does not depend on oil price fluctuations. He said this at a briefing, responding to former US President Donald Trump’s call to reduce world oil prices to end the conflict. According to Russian media.
“This conflict does not depend on oil prices. It is taking place because of threats to Russia’s national security, because of threats to Russians living in known territories, and because of the unwillingness and complete disregard of our concerns by the Americans and Europeans,” Peskov said.
Trump: cheaper oil will stop the war
The day before, on 23 January, Donald Trump said in a video-linked speech at the Davos Economic Forum that he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC countries to reduce oil prices. According to Trump, this will be the key to ending the Russian-Ukrainian war.
“If the price went down, the war between Russia and Ukraine would end immediately,” Trump said, adding that he wanted to meet with Vladimir Putin as soon as possible to find a way to end the war.
The Kremlin is waiting for signals from the US
In turn, Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is open to contacts with the new US president and is “waiting for signals” from Washington. However, the Kremlin emphasises that Russia’s position on the war remains unchanged and is not linked to economic factors such as oil prices.
Trump’s statement provoked a mixed reaction, in part because of its simplistic view of the causes of the war. Analysts note that economic pressure on Russia is important, but it is not enough to resolve a deep geopolitical conflict.
While Trump is planning diplomatic steps, the Kremlin is demonstrating tough rhetoric, maintaining its focus on its own geopolitical priorities. Time will tell whether this will be a signal for negotiations.
