Kremlin officials recently have been repeating the same messages about Russia’s commitment to its original war aims in Ukraine to various media sources that reach international and domestic audiences. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has given interviews to three different media sources in the past three days, repeating the same Kremlin lines in each.[1] Lavrov gave an interview on February 9 to TV BRICS, a Russian newswire service covering BRICS states and candidate states; an interview on February 10 to Russian state channel NTV, which also broadcasts in the United States, Canada, and Belarus; and an interview on February 11 to “Empathy Manuchi,” a popular Russian podcast channel from Russian propagandist Vyacheslav Manucharov on RuTube (Russia’s analogue of YouTube).[2] “Empathy Manuchi” RuTube channel caters to a younger Russian audience and promotes Russian state propaganda, including interviews with Russian MFA Spokesperson Maria Zakharova and Russian propagandist and RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan.[3] Lavrov’s three interviews were likely intended to reach audiences in the West and Russia’s allied and partner states, as well as younger audiences within Russia. Russian Security Council Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev similarly held a three-way interview on February 1 with Reuters, Kremlin newswire TASS, and pro-war Russian milblogger and head of the WarGonzo social media military project Semyon Pegov that was likely intended to simultaneously influence Russian and Western audiences.[4] These interviews likely aim to shape the public perception in various countries about ongoing negotiations and to garner domestic and international support for Russia’s position.
Kremlin messaging in these various interviews is consistent, with Kremlin officials repeating Russia’s unwavering commitment to its demands. Lavrov and Medvedev both referenced the agreements to end the war that the United States and Russia allegedly made at the August 2025 Alaska Summit.[5] Lavrov and Medvedev directly pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s June 2024 speech to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), wherein Putin demanded that Ukraine and NATO capitulate to Russia’s original war demands and cede the illegally annexed Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson oblasts — including unoccupied areas of these regions. Lavrov and Medvedev also repeated the Kremlin’s rejection of Western security guarantees for post-war Ukraine — reinforcing how the Kremlin does not view the territorial issue as the only significant issue left unresolved in negotiations.
The United States, Ukraine, and Russia may hold another round of trilateral talks on February 17 to 18. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Bloomberg on February 11 that Ukraine accepted the US offer to host another round of talks in the United States on February 17 to 18.[7] Zelensky stated that it is unclear, however, if Russia would agree to participate in the talks. Zelensky also told journalists on February 11 that Russian officials have not confirmed their participation in a trilateral meeting in Miami and will likely demand that the parties meet again in Abu Dhabi.[8] Zelensky stated that the next round of meetings may discuss Ukraine’s postwar economy and the US-Ukrainian prosperity plan.[9] Zelensky called on Ukraine, the United States, and Russia to use future trilateral talks to further discuss the US proposal to establish a “free economic zone” as a buffer zone in Donbas. The Kremlin, however, explicitly rejected in December 2025 the proposal to establish a demilitarized zone in Donetsk Oblast.[10] Zelensky also stated that Ukraine has not received an answer from Russia about a US proposal to renew the moratorium on energy infrastructure strikes.[11]
US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker highlighted the success of the Prioritized Ukrainian Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which funds NATO purchases of US-manufactured weapons for Ukraine. Whitaker stated on February 11 that 21 NATO member states, Australia, and New Zealand have contributed $4.5 billion to PURL since the program’s launch in Summer 2025.[22] Whitaker stated that Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany have especially provided significant contributions to PURL. Whitaker noted that unspecified states would announce new commitments to PURL at a NATO ministerial meeting on February 12.
Key Takeaways
- Kremlin officials recently have been repeating the same messages about Russia’s commitment to its original war aims in Ukraine to various media sources that reach international and domestic audiences.
- Lavrov explicitly reiterated Russia’s 2021 and 2022 demands of NATO and Ukraine in his February 11 interview with a Russian propagandist channel.
- The United States, Ukraine, and Russia may hold another round of trilateral talks on February 17 to 18.
- The Kremlin appears to be subordinating two major security institutions under Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov, a Putin loyalist.
- Russian milbloggers issued new complaints about the Kremlin’s handling of the recent throttling of Telegram, continuing domestic backlash against further Kremlin censorship efforts.
- US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker highlighted the success of the Prioritized Ukrainian Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which funds NATO purchases of US-manufactured weapons for Ukraine.
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Hulyaipole. Russian forces recently advanced in northern Sumy Oblast, and near Velykyi Burluk, Borova, and Slovyansk.