MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Russia and the US, without Europe, will work out a resolution to the Ukraine crisis, Oleg Karpovich, deputy rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

"The first step that President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump of the United States made in Anchorage - ‘the Anchorage spirit’ - is a stimulating factor for the further development of relations between the two countries. It will concern the issue of Russia’s diplomatic property, the issuance of visas, and an increase in the number of personnel at diplomatic missions," Karpovich specified. "Going forward, these things will be imperative. The parties will cooperate in the fields of space and scientific research," he added.

Today’s European politicians don’t hold a candle to their predecessors, he said. "Gone are the days when Europe had political leaders like French presidents Francois Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac. Now, it’s Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, and Keir Starmer, to name a few," he pointed out. "These politicians have no political weight either at home or on the international stage. It’s very difficult to build normal relations with such politicians," Karpovich stressed.

The relationship between Putin and Trump, meanwhile, stands on more solid ground, he thinks. "They clearly demonstrated it in Anchorage. This gives hope that Russia-US relations will develop in a positive way despite all difficulties and challenges," he remarked. "There should be no other option. It’s my belief that issues related to the Ukraine crisis will be resolved through Russia-US cooperation. Perhaps, interaction with the EU will also be required but it won’t be crucial for settling the conflict," he concluded.