Moscow: The Kremlin responded to US President Donald Trump’s warning that Vladimir Putin was “playing with fire” by refusing to engage in ceasefire talks with Kyiv, asserting that national interests remain paramount for the Russian leader.
Trump, who has pledged to end the Ukraine conflict swiftly after his re-election, appeared to toughen his stance on Moscow this week. In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire.”
The remarks came as Russia launched some of the deadliest missile and drone strikes at Ukraine. Moscow claimed to have intercepted over 100 Ukrainian drones overnight, including several aimed at the capital.
Asked to respond, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “It is clear the Trump administration is making considerable efforts towards a peaceful settlement, and Russia was grateful for the mediation efforts of President Trump personally,” news agency Reuters reported.
However, Peskov added, “Just like the United States, Russia has its own national interests, which are above all for us, and they are above all for our president. Therefore, we are also engaged in intense work, we are preparing for the next round of negotiations with the Ukrainian side, and we will continue our contacts with the Americans.”
Peskov also noted that while Russia welcomed mediation, “there are still a lot of nuances” to work through before a peace deal could be achieved.
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The Kremlin has rebuffed a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a three-way summit with the USA's Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin as Kyiv seeks to force Moscow to halt its three-year-long invasion, AFP news agency reported. Moscow said any meeting involving Russian President Putin and Zelensky would only happen after "concrete agreements" had been struck between negotiators from each side. |
