By ELENA SALVONI and WILL STEWART

Published: 15:12 BST, 26 May 2025 | Updated: 20:00 BST, 26 May 2025

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Russia has accused Donald Trump of falling victim to 'emotional overload' at a 'crucial moment' after the US President labelled Vladimir Putin 'absolutely crazy' for his brutal missile attacks on Ukraine. When asked about Trump's explosive 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.

Russia has accused Donald Trump of falling victim to ’emotional overload’ at a ‘crucial moment’ after the US President labelled Vladimir Putin ‘absolutely crazy’ for his brutal missile attacks on Ukraine. When asked about Trump’s explosive 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. Air raid alerts blared for six hours straight in Kyiv.

‘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. Air raid alerts blared for six hours straight in Kyiv.

 

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.

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.

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 - a statement which reflected the chilling vision shared by Medvedev.

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 – a statement which reflected the chilling vision shared by Medvedev.

His comments came on the same day as Putin mouthpiece Dmitry Medvedev shared a map suggesting that the Kremlin tyrant wants to turn the whole of Ukraine - apart from a tiny sliver on Poland 's border - into a 'buffer zone'. Medvedev - an ex-president of Russia and now a top security and political official - wrote on X: 'If military aid to the [ Kyiv ] regime continues, the buffer zone could look like this.'

His comments came on the same day as Putin mouthpiece Dmitry Medvedev shared a map suggesting that the Kremlin tyrant wants to turn the whole of Ukraine – apart from a tiny sliver on Poland ‘s border – into a ‘buffer zone’. Medvedev – an ex-president of Russia and now a top security and political official – wrote on X: ‘If military aid to the [ Kyiv ] regime continues, the buffer zone could look like this.’ 

He offered no further explanation, but reasoned in a Telegram post earlier this month that such a large zone was necessary to protect Belgorod from long-range Western weapons supplied to Ukraine, such as the British Storm Shadow with a range of more than 150 miles.

He offered no further explanation, but reasoned in a Telegram post earlier this month that such a large zone was necessary to protect Belgorod from long-range Western weapons supplied to Ukraine, such as the British Storm Shadow with a range of more than 150 miles.

As well as his very blunt words for Putin on Sunday, Trump also took aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and what he claimed was his part in prolonging the three-year war, which began with Russia's illegal invasion. 'Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,' he said, reigniting tensions between the two leaders. 'Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop.'

As well as his very blunt words for Putin on Sunday, Trump also took aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and what he claimed was his part in prolonging the three-year war, which began with Russia’s illegal invasion. ‘Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,’ he said, reigniting tensions between the two leaders. ‘Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.’ 

Zelensky had earlier called on Trump to condemn the attack , writing on Telegram: 'The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin. 'Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia.'

Zelensky had earlier called on Trump to condemn the attack , writing on Telegram: ‘The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin. ‘Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia.’

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Kremlin calls Trump ’emotional’ after calling Putin ‘crazy’

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