US, Russia Preparing To Hold Hockey Matches In St. Petersburg & Washington

Last month, during the lengthy phone conversation between Presidents Trump and Putin, the two broached the idea of holding special USA vs. Russia hockey games amid broader efforts at diplomatic normalization. 

The March 18 phone call, which also resulted in the ‘energy sites ceasefire’ – saw the NHL announce at the time: “We have just become aware of the conversation between President Trump and President Putin” regarding the potential for hosting a big hockey event. 

Now, on Monday Russia’s Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev has for the first time confirmed that a series of games are indeed likely given that serious closed-door negotiations are currently in the works.

He described that a series of USA vs. Russia hockey games will likely take place in St. Petersburg and Washington in the future, or even the near future.

“The matches are indeed possible. Private negotiations are underway. You’ll know about it when they’re over,” Degtyarev has told a Russian sports broadcast channel.

But he acknowledged that scheduling “remains the most difficult thing” as the rival national teams would consist of players pulled from both NHL and Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

“Chances are high,” Degtyarev further said on the question of whether this will really come together. It would be a boost for Russian athletes on a world stage given that starting in 2022 the International Ice Hockey Federation banned Russia from all its tournaments due to the Ukraine war.

Russia’s Olympic Committee (ROC) has of course also been suspended from world competition, and Degtyarev happens to serve as the president of the ROC.

‘Sports diplomacy’ served to help guide the two nuclear-armed rivals through the tail-end of the Cold War without major incident, and it seems this approach looks to be revived.

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…

WATCH: Putin scores 8 goals in an exhibition hockey game in Russia pic.twitter.com/XePFMRIej9

— Bloomberg Originals (@bbgoriginals) May 10, 2019

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.