The Kremlin believes that US President Donald Trump is “emotionally overwhelmed” – this was prompted by Trump’s sharp criticism of Vladimir Putin, whom he described as “absolutely crazy.” The US president responded with these words to the latest missile attacks on Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, responded to the US president’s statements with sharp criticism, but at the same time thanked him for his support in initiating peace negotiations: “We are very grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their help in organizing and launching this negotiation process,” Peskov said. At the same time, he added: “Of course, we are at an extremely crucial moment, which is undoubtedly accompanied by emotional overload for all those involved and corresponding reactions.”

The statement came shortly after one of the heaviest Russian air strikes since the start of the war. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia fired 355 drones and nine cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities during the night. Civilian areas across the country were hit, and air raid sirens sounded in Kiev for six hours. NATO jets had to take off again from Poland to respond to the situation.

Despite the deadly attacks, Peskov again claimed that Russia was working on a peaceful solution. He said that a proposal was being worked on but had not yet been submitted:

“The work is ongoing. This is a serious draft that requires careful consideration and preparation,” Peskov said.

Last week, Putin said in a phone call with Trump that Russia and Ukraine were working on a memorandum for a peace agreement. However, this raised new doubts in Kiev and among Western allies, with many accusing Moscow of merely playing for time and showing no serious interest in peace.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow was ready to present Kiev with a draft agreement for a long-term peace solution, but only after the completion of a prisoner exchange agreed in Istanbul. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, this exchange, in which both sides released 1,000 people, was completed on Sunday.

Peskov emphasized that the peace negotiations would now continue on the basis of the agreements reached in Istanbul, with the prisoner exchange merely the first step.

President Trump had sharply criticized Putin the evening before: “Missiles and drones are being fired at Ukrainian cities for no reason,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“I have always said that he wants all of Ukraine, not just part of it. Maybe that’s now coming true. If so, it will lead to the downfall of Russia,“ he warned.

These words came on the same day that Putin’s confidant Dmitry Medvedev published a disturbing map showing almost the entire Ukraine as Russia’s so-called ”buffer zone” – with the exception of a narrow strip along the border with Poland. Medvedev, a former president and now a high-ranking security official, wrote on X: “If military support for the Kiev regime continues, the buffer zone could look like this.”

Image: APA