“Melt the Ice” – AmCham Russia Plans USA-Russia Hockey Series in Moscow For USA’s 250th Anniversary

Organizers eye Moscow exhibition as a way to thaw freezing geopolitical tensions between Russia and the United States of America.

“Melt the Ice” – AmCham Russia Plans USA-Russia Hockey Series in Moscow For USA’s 250th Anniversary

Robert Agee, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (Image via The Russia Post)

The American Chamber of Commerce announced on Thursday an ice hockey match between the USA and Russia to celebrate the former’s 250th year of Independence. The decision, amid a global ostracism of Russia on the international sporting stage for their doping scandal and the invasion of Ukraine during an Olympic truce period.

The move from AmCham Russia follows last year’s conversations between the leaders of the two nations, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Putin first proposed hosting an ice hockey game between the United States of America and Russia in March 2025 during their phone call. The Kremlin later reported that the 79-year-old head of Uncle Sam expressed support for the proposition.

Robert Agee, the president of the AmCham Russia, announced that the inaugural match will be hosted at the Kristall ice palace within Moscow’s Luzhniki Olympic Complex. Agee said while speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum:

We hope this will help melt the ice that formed between us.

The Russians have been banned from all international competitions by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) after the invasion of Ukraine. As of June 2026, around 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory has been occupied by Russian troops. The invasion and the aftermath have left millions of Ukrainians displaced as people flee in fear for their lives.

The ban on the country has seen some repeals in the recent sporting competitions, a move that has invoked the wrath of several online users. Obviously, the hot-off-the-press announcement hasn’t won much support either. Online users have rained down on NHL and USA Hockey, though neither has made any sort of comment about the competition.

It was not long ago that USA Hockey was involved in a very publicized scandal. The men’s national team, joining in on Trump’s distasteful comments about the women’s hockey team, in the aftermath of the Winter Olympics victory, created a huge controversy in March. The subsequent White House visit also sparked some backlash.

However, it is unlikely that the senior members of the team are going to be a part of the game. It’s most likely going to feature men and women of the AmCham and its Russian counterpart, according to Svetlana Zhurova, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, via TASS.

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Alex Ovechkin is definitely not a part of this game

The American Chamber of Commerce Russia president, Robert Agee, said in the meeting that the Washington Capitals player and the league’s highest goal scorer, Alexander Ovechkin, will be playing in the said series in July.

Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin (Image via Instagram/@nhl)

However, his agent has rebuked the statement, noting that this is far from a possibility. Gleb Chistyakov spoke with TASS, where he stated that Ovechkin is “definitely not” playing. Although Ovechkin will remain on vacation in Turkey rather than playing in Agee’s July friendly, he is confirmed for another exhibition later in the month. On July 25, he will participate in the annual “Match of the Year” charity event at SKA Arena, bringing together Russian players from both the NHL and KHL.

Meanwhile, KHL president Alexei Morozov also said that they are also hearing about the match for the first time. Morozov said:

I don’t know who’ll be playing; everyone will be on vacation on July 1, resting and preparing for the new season. Alexander Ovechkin’s participation? I don’t know how he’s connected to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I’ll be on vacation. I don’t even know who’ll be playing or what the lineups will be. You can just imagine anything.

In a matter of hours, Agee’s miscommunicated statements have created confusion. Russia, slowly creeping back into the world’s sporting stage, has also played a role in the sudden backlash from the fans. Recently, the NHL announced that Russian players can play for the World Team in the 2027 All-Star Tournament.

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