ISTANBUL

Russia said Tuesday that despite differences with Washington there is still a “political will” to advance agreements reached in ongoing peace talks, warning that threats of new US sanctions and media narratives could endanger the process in Ukraine.

“There will always be certain differences,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that while full consensus is unlikely, both sides are committed to working on the implementation of existing agreements. “The work continues. And we highly value this mutual readiness.”

US President Donald Trump is taking a “balanced” stance in efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, the spokesman said, adding that root causes of the war are “so complex” that long-term engagement is necessary.

Commenting on speculation over sanctions if there is no progress towards the end of Ukraine war, the Kremlin official said raising such topics at this stage of negotiations is “hardly appropriate.” He also accused several media outlets of intentionally fueling tensions.

“A large number of media outlets are participating in a campaign aimed at disrupting the peace process and egging the US on to new sanctions,” the spokesman said, calling the trend “visible to the naked eye.”

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over phone last week, and decided that there will be direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv to end the Ukraine war.

The call came after rare direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, where both sides said they would exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each but failed to agree on a ceasefire.

After a Russian air attack in Ukraine on Sunday, Trump said Putin had "gone absolutely CRAZY" and that he does not "like it at all." The Kremlin termed the remarks as "emotional overload."