Russia has accused US President Donald Trump of suffering an ’emotional overload’ after the US President labelled Vladimir Putin ‘absolutely crazy’ for his brutal missile attacks on Ukraine.
When asked about Trump’s remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hit back but also thanked the President for helping to enable ceasefire talks.
‘We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organising and launching this negotiation process,’ he said.
‘Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions,’ he then added.
The reaction came following one of Moscow’s biggest aerial attacks on Ukraine since the war began, with Russian forces bombarding civilian areas across the country, forcing NATO to scramble warplanes from Poland for the second night in a row.
The massive overnight attack saw Russia launch 355 drones, a new record high – as well as nine cruise missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Making no mention of the deadly attacks staged just hours earlier, Peskov once again made what appears to be an empty promise that Moscow is working towards peace.
He insisted that officials are working on a proposal but have not yet submitted it. ‘Work is continuing. This is a serious draft, a draft of a serious document that demands careful checks and preparation,’ he claimed.
In a phone call with Trump last week, Putin said Russia and Ukraine would work on a memorandum relating to a peace accord, prompting new accusations from Kyiv and Western allies that Moscow was stalling and had no serious interest in peace.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow would be ready to hand Kyiv a draft document outlining conditions for a long-term peace accord once a prisoner exchange agreed at talks in Istanbul was completed.
That swap, which saw both Russia and Ukraine hand over 1,000 people, was completed on Sunday, Russia’s defence ministry said.
Peskov said work towards a peace deal would continue based upon agreements reached in Istanbul, with the prisoner exchange as the first stage.
President Trump last night accused Putin of needlessly killing a lot of people’, and threatened tougher sanctions in response.
‘Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
‘I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia,’ he added