Photo Credit: Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered rare praise for Donald Trump's administration on Thursday, describing Washington's recent diplomatic push as "energetic" and "sincere" while hinting that a new arms control agreement could be within reach.
Speaking to senior Russian officials ahead of Friday's U.S.-Russia summit in Anchorage, Alaska, Putin suggested that the high-level talks may provide an opening for "long-term conditions of peace" not only between Moscow and Washington, but across Europe as well.
"The current American administration is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, end the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved," Putin said, in comments carried by Russian media.
At the center of speculation is the fate of New START, the last major nuclear arms treaty binding the world's two largest nuclear powers. Signed in 2011, the pact limits each country to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and 700 launchers. The agreement is set to expire in February 2026, raising global concerns about the erosion of arms control frameworks.
Putin indicated that any broader peace arrangement with Washington would depend heavily on progress in "strategic offensive weapons control." Although Russia suspended compliance with New START in 2023 amid escalating tensions over Ukraine, he suggested that the upcoming summit could reopen the door to dialogue.
Despite Putin's remarks, skepticism remains high. The Russian leader has long been criticized in the West as a master manipulator who uses conciliatory language to advance Moscow's strategic goals. Trump himself has voiced frustration in recent months, accusing Putin of "stringing him along" and calling some of the Russian leader's promises "meaningless."
Still, the Alaska meeting marks one of the most consequential encounters between the two countries since the start of the Ukraine war. With the deadline for New START fast approaching, both governments face pressure to decide whether arms control can survive another turbulent chapter in U.S.-Russia relations.
