Despite Trump’s anger over Putin’s remarks on Ukraine, Russia says it remains committed to working with the US.
Russia has emphasised its ongoing collaboration with the United States, despite President Donald Trump expressing anger towards Vladimir Putin. Following Trump’s criticism of the Russian president over his comments on Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov assured that Russia is still “working with the US” to build diplomatic relations.
Trump’s comments, made during an NBC News interview, marked a stark shift in his rhetoric towards Putin. The former president expressed frustration over Putin’s questioning of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s credibility and even threatened to impose a 50% tariff on countries purchasing Russian oil unless a ceasefire in Ukraine was agreed upon.
Peskov responded by stating that there were no immediate plans for a call between Putin and Trump, although the Russian leader remained open to one “if necessary.” Despite tensions, Peskov downplayed the fallout, insisting that relations with the US would continue to be nurtured.
Trump’s anger was triggered by Putin’s suggestion of an interim government in Ukraine backed by the UN, which could potentially replace Zelensky. Trump expressed his displeasure, saying that undermining Zelensky’s leadership would hinder any possibility of reaching a deal.
The Kremlin’s response comes after several weeks of US-Russian negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Trump has previously criticised Zelensky but refrained from criticising Putin. In a rare shift, Russian media outlets, typically supportive of Putin, echoed Trump’s sentiments, accusing him of not fulfilling his obligations to prevent Ukraine from targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
Peskov dismissed parts of Trump’s comments, labelling them as “paraphrased” but reiterated that Moscow remains open to further negotiations with the US, despite the diplomatic challenges.
