The Kremlin on Thursday offered Donald Trump support in his standoff with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing the Ukrainian president of making "inadmissible" remarks about world leaders as a Russian official said he was stunned by how fast the U.S stance had shifted.
Trump's return to the presidency has begun to warm moribund U.S.-Russia ties, which fell to their lowest point since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis under Joe Biden, Trump's predecessor, due to Moscow's war in Ukraine.
By contrast, Kyiv's ties with Washington, crucial to its battlefield defense against Russia, have begun to fracture under Trump with tensions around a potential U.S. deal to exploit Ukraine's natural resources and over a U.S. decision to hold two-way talks with Russia about Ukraine without Kyiv.
Zelenskyy on Wednesday accused Trump of living in a "disinformation bubble" after Trump called him "a dictator" and dismissed as false a claim by Trump that his popularity rating was just 4%.
The Kremlin weighed in on Trump's side on Thursday.
"The rhetoric of Zelenskyy and many representatives of the Kyiv regime leaves much to be desired. The fact that Zelenskyy's rating is falling is an absolutely obvious trend," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov said he didn't want to get into details on numbers though when it came to discussing Zelenskyy's popularity, which opinion polls in Ukraine show is above 50%.
"Often representatives of the Ukrainian regime, especially in recent months, allow themselves to say absolutely unacceptable things about heads of other states," said Peskov, without providing examples.
"We see that there are certain differences between Washington and Kyiv," he added, accusing Ukraine of spending foreign taxpayers' money in an uncontrolled way and balking at attempts to hold it to account for funds spent in the past.
That criticism, which Ukraine has repeatedly denied when it has come from U.S. politicians, is part of a pattern which has seen Russian politicians from President Vladimir Putin on down sometimes offering support for Trump administration talking points.
Trump’s swift move to repair ties with Moscow, his equally fast falling out with Kyiv and Vice President JD Vance’s sharp criticism of Europe at the Munich Security Conference have left traditional U.S. allies stunned and scrambling to forge a common response. Britain has said it would be willing to send troops to support Ukraine, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to visit Kyiv on Monday to show his country's support for Zelenskyy and Ukrainian democracy.
Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said he was stunned at how quickly Trump's stance on Ukraine had evolved.
"'A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.' If you'd told me just three months ago that these were the words of the U.S. president, I would have laughed out loud," Medvedev wrote on X in English.
"Trump is 200 percent right," said Medvedev.
With a possible Putin-Trump meeting on the agenda, U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine in the pipeline, and a souring of ties between Kyiv and Washington, there are cautious hopes in Moscow that it may be possible to end the war on many of its own terms.
Zelenskyy has long been seen by the Russian leadership as a potential obstacle to getting an agreement on ending the war because he has been so vociferous in his opposition to Moscow and is seen as unbending when it comes to his terms for a potential settlement.
Putin, and now Trump, have suggested Zelenskyy must hold an election to renew his mandate given that an election due last year was not held because of martial law. Zelenskyy has said that it's not the right moment to hold an election.
Some hardliners in Russia, like Konstantin Malofeyev, a wealthy nationalist businessman, said Zelenskyy needs to hold and lose an election before a peace deal can be struck.
"Yes, the duped voters (of Ukraine) will still elect an anti-Russian president. But it won't be Zelenskyy," Malofeyev said on Telegram. "The new Ukrainian authorities will be able to do a deal."
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
60 Comments
Underworld
Even the Russians are surprised about how quickly they were able to con Trump.
Trump is such a moron.
JeffLee
Zelenskyy is more popular among his countrymen that Trump is among Americans, according to the latest polls. He also won a fair and free election with a much higher level of support than Trump in the US election. But keep spreading those lies, Kremlin bros!
WiseOneIn Kansai
More foot in the mouth from the clown in the White House!!
iknowall
Great progress by Trump.
This war, started during the Obama administration with the annexation of Crimea, and expanded under the Biden administration with the invasion, will be stopped thanj¥kfully under the Trump administration.
I'veSeenFootage
Of course the Kremlin supports Trump, since they're the ones giving him his marching orders.
Underworld
iknowall
What progress has he made? So far he has taken Russia's side and criticized the victim, Ukraine. Trump doesn't care at all about achieving peace.
If you think Trump can stop this war, then I have a bridge to sell you...
Some dude
From the outside (i.e. outside the USA) this looks pretty unambiguous: the United States now openly considers itself an ally of Russia.
Still, they voted for it, so I guess they're fine with it.
Jimizo
Trump is a child. Again he forces his hardcore supporters to debase and humiliate themselves by trying to justify this kind of garbage.
Ridiculous.
quercetum
They voted for it so they should take ownership and responsibility for it.
ClippetyClop
Looking at the positive side of this, at least within the first month of his reich we can confirm that Trump has always been a Russian stooge and is actively working on Putin's behalf. It's not even a debate anymore, no room for doubt.
Makes the situation much clearer going forward.
wallace
Trump and Putin are plotting how to divide Ukraine. Putin wants land. Trump wants minerals.
iknowall
First, he has both leaders thinking about ending the war. How many people died on both sides with the false hope given by Biden?
This war ends under Trump. Sell me the bridge at that stage.
Excellent point.
Right--they saw what was not there, and what later came into existence.
Peter Neil
"Trump is 200 percent right," said Medvedev.
a statement obviously crafted to appeal to the arithmetically challenged by a guy who lies through his teeth daily.
Underworld
iknowall
What progress has he made? So far he has taken Russia's side and criticized the victim, Ukraine. Trump doesn't care at all about achieving peace.
Putin isn't thinking about ending the war.
And Zelenskyy has been talking about a peace plan long before Trump was elected.
Biden didn't give anything except arms that were requested by Ukraine. But I agree, he should have given more arms and quicker.
Ah_so
Russia is grouping around itself countries like North Korea, Syria, and Iran.
Ukraine has the support of countries like Germany, Spain, the UK, and France.
And now we know which group to put Trump's America in.
Ah_so
The good news is that there is $300bn of Russian money frozen in European banks, and it sounds like it is only a matter of time before it is handed to the Ukrainians, which will replace US funding. As long as the rest of Europe keeps donating, the Russian menace can be resisted.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I guess when you get to be 200% right you circle back around to being 0% right.
Ah_so
The big mistake was Biden not providing missiles that could strike deep into Russian territory.
Now that it is clear that Trump plays third fiddle to Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin, these won't be forthcoming.
The likely formation of a European defence union in the next year will rebalance power now that Trump has abdicated it.
ok1517
Putain, that dictator in the Kremlin offering even more support to Trump?
What a surprise - NOT!
@wallace,
right, with one minor correction: they are both after the minerals on Ukrainian soil.
It's just another Ribbentrop Pact Ver 2.0.
Then it was Adolf and Staling grabbing their "shares" of Poland.
Now Donald and that other one want to do the same with Ukraine.
@quercetum,
comparing Donald with those biblical prophets (if they really existed) - but, no, it's not a cult.
By the way, did you see the latest WH website? "The KIng" and this "Donald J. Trump is returning to the White House to build upon his previous successes." Wonder what kind of success they're talking about? His outstanding ability bankrupting his own businesses? Or his perfect performance as the instigator, insulter, and divider in chief?
Underworld
Now the U.S. is refusing to co-sponsor a draft U.N. resolution marking three years since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine that backs Ukraine's territorial integrity and again demands Russia withdraw its troops.
2024: Axis of Evil = Russia, North Korea, and Iran
2025: Axis of Evil = Russia, North Korea, Iran and United States.
Ah_so
I suspect he has an eye on the contracts to rebuild it. Imagine the billions the Trump Org could make.
Ah_so
People have been comparing Trump to Neville Chamberlain in Munich in 1938. But he isn't. He's Mussolini in Munich in 1938.
Underworld
Ah_so
Good point!
lincolnman
What a lovefest between the Master Putin and his Puppet Donald....
Absolutely disgusting...every American should be ashamed of this convicted felon and wanna-be dictator...
patkim
Of course, the puppetmaster always agrees with his puppet. The owner will always be loyal to his dog and vice versa. Even former American generals and national security advisors are calling Trump out for his total loyalty to Putin who is known for jailing and killing anyone who disapproves of his rule. The fact that it was reported he won over 80% of the vote to re-elect him is a clear sign of fixing his own election, but I am sure that Trump is so gullible to believe that Putin won fairly.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Are you under the impression that Ukraine invaded Crime and Eastern, wait for it, Ukraine?
TaiwanIsNotChina
*Crimea
Underworld
quercetum
Not at all. Were are just disappointed that Trump has abandoned his search for a peace deal.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Probably 40% are okay with it and another 10% are wondering if Crimea is how the price of eggs will be lowered.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Zero wars started under Obama and Biden. Bombing runs to kick over unstable regimes don't count.
ok1517
@quercetum
"To negotiate peace (to surrender) is the right thing to do. Zelenskyy just wants to be included at the table, that’s the contention, not whether to negotiate peace or not."
Negotiate peace = surrender? Who taught you that?
If Ukraine under President Zelenskyy surrendered, Putain would continue his genocide attempt.
Surrender is no option at all - only a complete victory over those Russian invaders will bring peace not only to Ukraine!
And President Zelenskyy (mind the title!) wanting to sit at the negotiating table - I'd say that's the normal way negotiations between the leader of an invaded, sovereign country (Ukraine) and the aggressor (Putain's Russia) have to be done, if at all!
Forgot:
Ukraine stands strong!
Ukraine prevails!
JJE
Interesting developments but this is a tad more than a 'spat'.
Moscow won't sign a deal with Zelensky until there are elections - this is a fact.
There won't be any UN peacekeeping force without a mandate. And that hypothetical force requires its own security guarantees - what a joke!
Underworld
JJE
Of course. Putin has never been interested in peace, he just wants the peace process to disrupt Ukraine. And Trump is helping him do it.
Ukraine will not have elections until there peace - this is a fact.
wallace
Trump's outspoken attacks against Zenlenskyy and Ukraine and his support for Putin are hardening Ukraine and its troops to fight and not be thrown under the bus by them. Even the Ukrainians that dislike Zenlenskyy.
stormcrow
This is still so unbelievable.
Does Putin have something he’s holding over Trump’s head?
Maybe there are photos of Trump doing vulgar and obscene things with a group of Russian prostitutes.
JJE
Missed in all these developments was Putin announcing Russian troops have crossed into Sumy region for the first time since 2022. According to him, on Wednesday morning the 810th marines and others entered the area. This is obviously part of 'Sever' North Group of Forces and relates to the Kursk zone of operations (that named unit is from Sevastopol, Crimea).
HopeSpringsEternal
How Ukraine ever thought it could prevail against Russia was height of poor leadership unconcerned about welfare of its people and future of country itself.
What's so difficult about not threatening your much larger and nuclear armed neighbor as NATO proxy force? No bordering country to Russia behaves this way.
Ukraine's 'minor' civil war starting in 2014 with its ethic Russians was easily solved with minor concessions, but Zelenskyy chose foolish path of war and destruction.
Global damage of this war is incalculable in terms of currency purchasing power destruction and thus inflation that's caused economic hardship, starvation, etc.
HopeSpringsEternal
Time for elections, Zelenskyy, while a nice enough person, has no credibility in terms of his actual terrible track record. Ukrainians (like Germany this weekend) want leadership that's able to positively work with DJT!
Not easy for Zelenskyy to give up, but writing is on the wall, much like for Al Gore, Hillary Clinton and Kamala, minor failed footnotes in history.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
And yet they have.
They didn't.
And so Finland (bordering country to Russia) joined NATO and Putin is fine with it.
No he didn't. And that Civil war was winding down.
All thanks to Putin's imperialist ambitions.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
When Ukraine gets a peace deal. Or Russia withdraws.
He has excellent track records and has good favorability.
Unlike Trump, whose favorability has tanked into the 40's.
Maybe they did, but now that Trump is backing Russia, they don't now.
He's said that he will never give up on Ukraine.
plasticmonkey
Fascism.
ok1517
JJE,
" Putin announcing Russian troops have crossed into Sumy region for the first time since 2022. According to him..."
Well, according to Putain this aggression would've been over in 3 days, remember?
According to him those marauders are liberating Ukraine (by killing, murdering, raping, deporting, looting, etc.)
According to him Ukraine started the "war"
According to him, according to him ......
How uch more bull are you willing to accept from him?
ok1517
sorry, "How much", of course, not "uch"!
HopeSpringsEternal
Nobody outside of JT posters believes Putin has imperial desires, especially DJT. Putin could not stand by and watch ethic Russian Ukrainians in midst of a civil war be attacked by Ukraine Govt. with Biden/NATO backed support and become a DeFacto NATO proxy partner.
Russia's become very rich and the west much poorer, as a result of this proxy war and the economic damage resulting from currency purchasing power destruction.
US$ today buys 3.5X LESS 'real assets' using the CRB diversified commodity index than less than 5yrs ago.
JJE
Fair to call this War of Words provoked (pun intended).
One other thing to reflect upon with regards to this 'spat' - which was in fact a series of scathing attacks on each other, DJT even mocking his former occupation and using the term "gravy train", amongst it all, clearly aggravated by Zelensky cavalierly alluding to the Russia-gate investigation.
But previously the media has hammed up Trump and Musk eventually having a spat. This angle has been played up like a never-ending-Christmas-wish ad nauseam, as he efficiently enacted a key administration agenda, disappointing those dreaming.
However, the ongoing (and possibly escalating) Trump-Zelensky feud should have been very easy to forecast, which a few did, because of the obviously clashing agendas and attitudes, not to mention the tone-deafness of the latter. It'll be interesting to see where this leads. All bets are off.
wallace
The Ukrainian approval rating for Trump is just 4% but for Zelenskyy, it's 58%.
JJE
Important to observe the free press has been forcibly shutdown in Ukraine.
Polls produced there don't exactly hold much water.
Trump more than understands this. As with everything, he has access to actual intelligence dossiers that highlight the full state of affairs there and more.
Most people - including Zelensky to his peril - seem to not consider this fact.
HopeSpringsEternal
Biggest problem Zelenskyy has is not Putin or DJT, but rather Musk DOGE audits. Safe to say average Ukrainian will be none thrilled about this info, so expect Zelenskyy to leave sooner rather than later to some 'undisclosed' location.
Jimizo
This comment is as serious, accurate and worthy of respect as Trump claiming Zelenskyy’s approval rating is 4%.
The walls closed in from the first sentence.
HopeSpringsEternal
Putin's made it clear he wants to build BRICS and restore normal relations with the US and EU. Very positive and hardly a leader 'intent' on WWIII. Putin long ago could have finished this Ukraine war, his restraint's is obvious.
KnightsOfCydonia
US allies are growing increasingly concerned that intelligence sharing with the US may be compromised and be leaked to russia.
The speed with which trump has sought to placate putin is very troubling globally.
ok1517
Hope,
hope you are doing well!
"Putin long ago could have finished this Ukraine war, his restraint's is obvious."
Yup, true. He could've ....
....... by getting his marauders out of Ukraine
........by presenting himself to the ICJ
........by returning all illegally occupied areas to Ukraine
.......and so on!
See, we agree once in a while!
Jimizo
Putin is about as honest as a teenager spamming social media with multiple handles.
He’s a lot brighter than them but that’s a very low bar.
HopeSpringsEternal
OK1517, nice humor but I meant, Putin's been remarkably restrained militarily. Could have easily destroyed Ukraine years ago with weapons he has at his fingertips, like EMP used in Chechnya to end that war almost instantly.
Such weapons as above would have greatly increased the already +10M Ukrainian immigrants into EU, easily 2X
Why Putin's restraint? Putin wants to normalize relations with US and EU, playing the long game, as Putin's political enemies increasingly in the 'wilderness'
stormcrow
Ukraine started the war?!
Zelensky is a dictator?!
What!
Trump is completely bonkers!
Cephus
Was it not just the other day Zelenskyy and the the rest of the European leaders excluding Russia met for peace talk? Then what's wrong when US and Russia meet for the same excluding Ukraine. Double standard never or rarely works
Ken
Didn't Putin assassinate his competition for his one-sided election? Tortured and imprisoned his opponent until death and tried to keep the family from contact and seeing the body. Who is he to talk about an election?
RichardPearce
Zelensky didn't start the war.
Ukrainians as a collective didn't start the war.
But those Ukrainians with an unreasoning hatred of Russia did, with American sponsorship, and the guy who knowingly cheered and gestured upwards towards a willing participant in the Holocaust has obviously made peace with the notion of embracing those Ukrainians with an unreasoning hatred of Russia, as well as not even pretending to respect the basic tennets of democracy.
JJE
Bingo. Last June was the Swiss "peace summit", that Russia was totally excluded from, and in effect, presented with a nonsensical fait accompli.
Ironic to see actual meaningful talks about restoring relations, that could well lead to peace negotiations down the track, being widely denounced by those who celebrated the former.
HopeSpringsEternal
EU and Biden Admin were foolish, Putin tolerated this madness and played the long game and now it's time to restore global stability, restore normal relations between Russia and EU, US, etc.
Thankfully, WWIII has been averted!