American analysts note that the Kremlin has begun to make excuses after Trump’s move to grant Kyiv a license to produce Patriot air defense interceptor missiles.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. / © Associated Press
The Kremlin reacted nervously to the US position on Ukraine, particularly after US leader Donald Trump’s statements at the NATO summit in Ankara. After this, Moscow sharply changed its tone.
This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
“The Kremlin is trying to adjust its narrative line in response to the recent rejection by the Donald Trump administration of Russian negotiation tactics and recognition of Ukraine’s successes on the battlefield,” the analysts emphasize.
ISW emphasizes: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the United States has always provided military assistance to Ukraine. Thus, experts from the Institute note, the press secretary of the “fuhrer” is trying to somehow downplay the significance of Trump’s decision to grant Kyiv a license to produce the Patriot interceptor missile. According to the Kremlin representative, Russia considers the US president’s statements as a “mistake” rather than an escalation.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova repeated the Kremlin’s narrative that Washington remains uninterested in promoting European security, and European countries are allegedly preparing for a long-term conflict with the Russian Federation.
“Peskov’s and Zakharova’s statements indicate that Moscow has not yet developed a coordinated information response to the recent efforts of the Trump administration to counter Russian narratives,” ISW notes.
It is noted that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that no written agreement was concluded after the US-Russia summit in Alaska in August 2025. This undermines Russia’s attempts to use last year’s event as leverage for negotiations.
In addition, senior US officials recently acknowledged Ukraine’s tactical and operational successes, contrary to Russia’s claims that its troops are advancing along the entire front line.
“The Kremlin appears to be trying to downplay recent events, including the significance of the Patriot licensing agreement, to keep the door open for negotiations with the United States of America in the hope that Russia can still achieve concessions from Ukraine and its partners,” the Institute concluded.
NATO Summit – Trump’s Statements
In Ankara, Donald Trump announced that Washington would grant Ukraine a license to produce interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. The production of these missiles may begin in two to three months, and the US is ready to provide all possible assistance in organizing such production in Ukraine.
In addition, the American leader commented on the strikes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on oil refineries deep in the rear of the Russian Federation. In his opinion, such attacks are an escalation of the war, but it is they that may ultimately bring it closer to its end.
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