Russia says US hasn't followed through on Trump-Putin 'understandings'

LONDON - Russia has accused the United States of failing to deliver on “understandings” reached between President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump at a summit in Alaska last August, signaling growing frustration in Moscow.

In the past three days, three senior Russian officials have said, without providing details, that Washington has not followed through on what was agreed.

The remarks come amid an escalation of Ukraine’s drone strikes deep inside Russia, including two attacks last week on a Moscow oil refinery, as well as a Group of Seven summit where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Western leaders that Kyiv was gaining the upper hand in the war.

Moscow has rejected that assessment and has continued its own heavy strikes on Ukrainian targets.

Russia has repeatedly said the United States is not acting in the “spirit of Anchorage,” a phrase Russian officials have used since the Alaska summit to describe what they view as a more sympathetic U.S. stance toward Moscow’s position on Ukraine.

The Kremlin has not disclosed the full details of any agreements reached in Alaska, and Western allies have expressed skepticism that the summit produced concrete outcomes. However, the U.S. government has also not publicly confirmed any formal deal.

Shortly after the meeting, Trump suggested Ukraine could eventually reclaim all territory occupied by Russia, a shift that was met with disappointment in Moscow.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said over the weekend that only one side had adhered to the understandings reached in Alaska, while the other had not fully implemented its commitments.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later suggested the summit may have been a U.S. “ploy” to buy time to rearm Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also accused Washington of drifting away from the “fundamental understandings” reached at the summit, while saying dialogue with the United States would continue.

Analysts say the tone from Moscow reflects growing concern over battlefield and economic pressures, particularly as Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory have intensified.

Some observers also suggest the Kremlin believes the United States may be indirectly supporting Ukraine’s expanded strike capabilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the West as a whole is working in support of Kyiv, underscoring Moscow’s increasingly confrontational messaging.

Experts note that Russia has also expressed frustration over the lack of sustained U.S. mediation efforts in recent months, which it views as essential to any potential settlement.

At the same time, Moscow has rejected the idea of European-led mediation, saying Western European governments are too closely aligned with Ukraine’s position.

Analysts say Russia is seeking renewed American diplomatic engagement in order to shape any eventual peace framework, while signaling dissatisfaction with the current absence of structured negotiations. -Additional reporting by Dmitry Antonov in Moscow; Editing by Kevin Liffey/Reuters