Ankara: Russia announced on Wednesday that the United States has not communicated any changes to its position regarding a settlement in Ukraine. "The Americans themselves did not communicate any change in their position to us in bilateral contacts," stated Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova during a press briefing in Moscow.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zakharova emphasized that US President Donald Trump's commitment to facilitating a settlement is "not in doubt." She mentioned that the possibilities of ending the Ukraine conflict were discussed in detail during a summit in Alaska, where Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met last August. Although no formal agreements were signed, Zakharova noted that both sides "reached certain understandings."

Zakharova further elaborated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had expressed a willingness to make compromises at the Alaska summit, urging that the results of that meeting be considered in this context. However, some Russian officials have accused the US of deviating from the "understandings" reached in Alaska.

Contrastingly, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that no agreements were reached during the Alaska summit. "There was a proposal in Alaska, but there was no agreement in Alaska. If there had been an agreement, we would have had an end to the war," Rubio stated. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Rubio's remarks, describing them as "inelegant" and called for "clarification" regarding the US role as a mediator in the ongoing conflict that began in 2022.

Zakharova accused EU countries of attempting to persuade the US to align with Ukraine's demands, especially following discussions at the G7 meeting in France earlier this month. She reiterated Moscow's demand for Ukraine's withdrawal from the Donbas region, stressing that Russia would only negotiate with those who approach the settlement task responsibly and constructively.

Additionally, Zakharova voiced Russia's opposition to the deployment of US intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in Japan, calling it a move that negatively impacts the stability and security of the Asia-Pacific region and poses a direct threat to Russia's Far Eastern borders. She warned the Japanese side against such actions, indicating that Russia would take compensatory measures to bolster its national defense.