Russia defeated the United States 10-6 in an inaugural ice hockey match that organizers hoped would help thaw bilateral relations frozen since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian media reported.
The match took place on Wednesday at the Kristall ice palace within Moscow’s Luzhniki Olympic Complex. Organized by the chambers of commerce of both countries, the invite-only event was held at a small venue capped at 500 spectators, according to Sports.ru.
“This game will become part of a wider business dialogue,” Russian presidential aide Anton Kobyakov said ahead of the puck drop.
President Vladimir Putin first proposed holding hockey matches between Russian and American players during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump in March 2025. The Kremlin said at the time that Trump had “expressed support” for the idea, though the White House never confirmed that.
AmCham Russia President Robert Agee said the match was made possible after he learned that some U.S. hockey players were planning to visit Moscow for a “personal event,” according to the Financial Times.
