Kremlin Aide Ushakov Dismisses European Claims on Ukraine Battlefield

KAZAN, June 18. /TASS/. Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov dismissed claims by the Europeans that the situation on the battlefield is shifting in favor of Ukraine as categorically false.

US President Donald Trump is a powerful politician and he has his own views, Ushakov said in a comment to Vesti television on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit.

TASS has compiled key statements from the Russian presidential aide.

On battlefield situation

Assertions by the Europeans that the situation on the battlefield is allegedly shifting in favor of Ukrainian troops are categorically incorrect, Ushakov said: "The Europeans are clearly insisting that the war must continue. Moreover, they are guided by a completely false premise that the situation on the battlefield is allegedly shifting in favor of Ukrainian forces, which is categorically incorrect."

On Trump’s policies

Ushakov pointed out that Trump is a politician who plays to the beat of his own drummer: "The Europeans have been feeding Trump unhelpful and even harmful ideas, but Trump is also a powerful politician and he has his own views."

"The Ukrainian issue was actively discussed during the G7 summit. As one might expect, Trump was probably being fed unhelpful, if not harmful, ideas," he reiterated.

The Kremlin has not had contacts yet with the Trump administration since the G7 summit, Ushakov added.

Witkoff, Kushner’s visit to Russia

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will soon visit Russia, even as no concrete dates have yet been set, the Kremlin aide announced: "Both negotiators -- Kushner and Witkoff -- will soon visit Russia. In a situation where they, as far as I understand, are busy with Iranian matters, they will be present during the early stages of work on the basic agreement, therefore specific dates for a Moscow visit have not been set yet."

On potential Putin-Zelensky meeting

Recent actions by the Kiev regime, including the attack on a bus with children from Belarus aboard in the Bryansk Region, do not facilitate the development of personal contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky, Ushakov argued: "None of this advances the prospect of direct personal contacts between the head of the Kiev regime and our president."

On relations with Southeast Asia

Russia is committed to maintaining the best and closest relations with all countries in Southeast Asia, Ushakov assured the TV channel: "As regards our relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), we want to maintain the best and closest relations with all of them. With some of them, our relations are closer. With others, things might be moving a little slower, but the general sentiment is clear."

Recounting preparations for the commemorative Russia-ASEAN summit, he said everything had gone swimmingly: "There were no difficulties, I’d say, not politically."