MOSCOW: The Kremlin has expressed full agreement with US President Donald Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of failing to take responsibility for ending the war with Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on Friday, October 16, 2026, during a daily briefing with reporters. He said Moscow agreed with Trump’s assessment that Zelensky was reluctant to pursue a peaceful settlement.
Trump recently criticised the Ukrainian leader in an interview with Newsmax, claiming that Zelensky spoke about peace but was unwilling to reach an agreement. Trump also suggested that Russia and Ukraine could achieve a ceasefire after Zelensky leaves office.
The US president said he considered Zelensky more difficult to negotiate with than Russian President Vladimir Putin, further highlighting tensions between Washington and Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Putin continues to demand that Ukraine surrender full control of the eastern Donetsk region as a condition for a ceasefire. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected the demand, arguing against surrendering its territory to Russia.
According to reports cited by Bloomberg, sources close to the Kremlin believe Russian forces could take full control of Donetsk by late February 2027.
The dispute has complicated diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which has continued for more than four years.
European leaders reaffirmed their support for Zelensky during a summit in Brussels on Friday, seeking to maintain unity between Kyiv and its Western allies as winter approaches.
The latest exchanges highlight growing differences between Washington and Kyiv over the path towards ending the war.
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