Russia has affirmed that it continues to engage with the United States despite former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks expressing frustration with Vladimir Putin.
In its first official response to Trump’s criticism, the Kremlin sought to downplay any tensions between the two leaders.
“We continue to work with the US side, primarily on strengthening our relations,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov also noted that there were no scheduled calls between Putin and Trump this week but added that the Russian president remained open to one “if necessary.”
The statement followed Trump’s comments to NBC News on Sunday, in which he expressed anger over Putin’s remarks questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s credibility.
Trump also warned of imposing a 50% tariff on nations purchasing Russian oil if Putin failed to agree to a ceasefire.
His remarks marked a significant shift in tone towards the Russian leader.
For weeks, US and Russian officials have been engaged in discussions aimed at negotiating an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
Throughout these talks, Trump has often been critical of Zelensky but has largely refrained from directly condemning Putin.
However, Trump’s frustration reportedly escalated after Putin suggested on Friday the possibility of establishing an interim government in Ukraine under UN oversight to replace Zelensky.
“I was very angry, very pissed off when Putin started questioning Zelensky’s credibility because that’s not the right direction,” Trump told NBC News.
“New leadership means there won’t be a deal for a long time,” he added.
During his regular press briefing on Monday, Peskov claimed that parts of Trump’s interview had been misrepresented.
Trump’s comments also drew attention in Russian media. The pro-Kremlin newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets published rare criticism of the former US president, accusing him of failing to uphold his “obligations” to prevent Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
“All agreements at the level of President Trump are worth only a few pennies on market day,” the newspaper stated, while adding that “Moscow remains ready to negotiate with the US president.”
Source: BBC
BDST: 1020 HRS, APR 01, 2025
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