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During a session connected to the AM Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Fund, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Moscow and Washington do not maintain a direct dialogue on Ukraine and are not aware of any active channel for resolving conflicts between the two sides regarding the Ukrainian issue. This was reported by TASS on the scene.

Ryabkov emphasized that he does not know of any conflict resolution mechanism addressing the current situation in Ukraine. He added that Moscow and Washington only exchange sporadic signals reflecting each side’s view of the other’s moves, and that a formal dialogue on Ukraine does not exist because the positions diverge markedly.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke at a press conference with Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu just ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Bucharest. He asserted that the military and financial support supplied by the United States and its allies to Ukraine has helped shift the balance on the battlefield in favor of Kyiv.[citation: TASS report on the event]

The remarks from Ryabkov come as part of a broader pattern of communications between Moscow and Washington amid continued tensions over Ukraine. Analysts note that while signals are exchanged, the absence of a formal, structured channel underscores the enduring gaps in strategic dialogue between the two powers. Observers in Washington and allied capitals have highlighted that the alliance system and support for Ukraine remain central to their posture, even as direct diplomacy remains limited. The exchange of messages about each side’s assessment of the other’s actions tends to occur through quarterly briefings, diplomatic channels, and public statements rather than through a dedicated negotiation line. This dynamic shapes how policymakers, security experts, and regional partners interpret each move on the ground and in international forums. [attribution: official briefings, multiple sources including TASS and allied press rounds]