The Kremlin expressed satisfaction with the U.S. stance, under the Trump administration, that Ukraine should not join NATO, aligning with Russia's position.

Axar.az, citing Reuters, reports that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Ukrainian NATO membership would threaten Russian national interests and is a key cause of the conflict.

While Putin has indicated readiness to end the war if Ukraine drops its NATO ambitions and withdraws from territories controlled by Russia, Peskov declined to comment on any potential deal between Russia and Ukraine.

He also refrained from discussing a Bloomberg report about the U.S. possibly recognizing Russian control of Crimea in a peace agreement, stressing that peace talks should remain private.