A senior Kremlin official praised President Donald Trump as an effective leader seeking peace in Ukraine and said Moscow sees renewed talks with Washington as productive.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and former president, said Trump is sincerely trying to end the war in Ukraine and wants to be remembered as a peacemaker.
“Trump wants to go down in history as a peacemaker – and he really does,” Medvedev said an interview with Reuters. “And that is why contacts with Americans have become much more productive.”
Trump has repeatedly said a peace deal to end the war is close. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that he had “productive and constructive meetings” with Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
WITKOFF SAYS talks with Russian envoy were ‘productive and constructive’ amid Trump’s peace push
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev attends an interview with Reuters, TASS and WarGonzo in the Moscow region, Russia, on January 29, 2026. (Secretariat of Dmitry Medvedev/handout via Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that a new round of talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia will take place this week in Abu Dhabi. His announcement comes as Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy and logistics infrastructure, worsening conditions for civilians as winter temperatures drop.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Kiev on February 10, 2025, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (TETIANA DZHAFAROVA/AFP via Getty Images)
Medvedev dismissed speculation that Trump secretly backs Moscow, telling the newspaper that the Americans elected him and that Russia respects that choice. He also praised Trump for standing up to the US political establishment and said his blunt, sometimes “brash” style is misunderstood.
ZELENSKYY ANNOUNCES NEXT TALKS WITH US, RUSSIA AS UKRAINE AIM FOR ‘REAL AND DIGNIFICANT END TO THE WAR’
“He is an emotional person, but on the other hand, the chaos often referred to and created by his activities is not entirely true,” Medvedev said. “It is clear that there is a fully conscious and competent line behind this.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Donald Trump pose for a photo during their meeting at the 56th annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
Medvedev told the outlet that Trump’s background as a businessman informs his approach, and joked that there is no such thing as a former businessman, echoing a well-known Russian saying about former KGB agents.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Medvedev, a hardliner within the Russian leadership, has repeatedly warned of nuclear escalation since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. He stressed that avoiding further conflict remains the priority, but still expects Russia to achieve a military victory in Ukraine.
“I would like this to happen as soon as possible,” Medvedev said of ending the conflict. “But it is just as important to think about what will happen next. The goal of victory is to prevent new conflicts.”
