Every time negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. appear to gain momentum, Moscow introduces a new allegation — drone attacks, assassination attempts, nuclear plots, sabotage — that threatens to stall or derail the process.
Ukrainian officials and Western analysts say the pattern is no coincidence.
A high-level Ukrainian official familiar with the course of the negotiations told the Kyiv Independent that the “nonsense” Russia is spreading is intended to influence the talks and divert attention from Moscow’s unwillingness to seek compromise.
As Russian negotiators show little flexibility on concessions, the Kremlin appears to weaponize the diplomatic track — testing Washington’s reactions, seeking leverage, and undermining Kyiv’s credibility.
The lines are pretty frozen at this point but the issue isn’t that Russia doesn’t want to negotiate. They are suing for peace but they’re negotiating in bad faith and then inventing crises to derail the process they’re pretending to participate in.