The world's two largest nuclear powers are apparently turning to old school, Cold War-style sports diplomacy to thaw out their deeply frozen bilateral relations, even as there's as yet no solution to the grinding Russia-Ukraine war.
Russian and American ice hockey players are scheduled to face off in Moscow on July 1. President Vladimir Putin first proposed holding hockey matches between Russian and American players in both countries during a direct phone call with President Trump.
Soon after that March 2025 phone call the Kremlin noted at the time that Trump had "expressed support" for the initiative.
According to the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham Russia), the event is part of a broader series of matches. Notably the initial match is timed just ahead of the milestone 250th anniversary of US independence on July 4th.
"We hope this will help melt the ice that formed between us," AmCham Russia President Robert Agee said Thursday. The announcement was made at the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which is currently ongoing.
He confirmed that Russia and the US would play the match, expressing that it will be a "friendly" game, according to TASS.
While it's unclear which players will make up the rosters from either side, The Moscow Times has cited that Agee said "NHL superstar and prominent Putin supporter Alexander Ovechkin will be involved in the event, though the full roster will be a mix of professional and amateur athletes. He did not provide further details."
The International Ice Hockey Federation banned Russia from all official international tournaments immediately following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and so this event constitutes a rare, symbolic defiance of the international sports body and its regulations set down.
In the meantime, the Ukrainians are fuming over the plan, as they want to see Russia as isolated as possible. But a US against Russia hockey game, covered by international media and featuring superstar athletes on the ice would be anything but 'isolation'.
Back when Putin was literally on the ice himself for an exhibition...
Indeed it in and of itself would be a big diplomatic win for Moscow, but the White House sees this as essentially worth it if it can lead to peace, and eventual normalization of relations with Russia.