Kremlin labels Zelensky-Trump dispute as a threat to peace efforts
Russian president’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, described Zelensky as lacking diplomatic skills, according to reports from Russian media. He noted that the verbal spat between Zelensky and Trump underscored the difficulties in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "The Kiev regime and Zelensky have no desire for peace; they want to continue the war," Peskov claimed. He urged the international community to "persuade Zelensky to want peace" and added, "If Europeans can achieve this, they deserve praise."
When asked by journalists about Zelensky's statements refusing to recognize the annexation of territories currently occupied by Russia, Peskov responded, calling it a "refusal to acknowledge the reality on the ground."
Kremlin spokesperson Peskov also dismissed reports of secret negotiations between the U.S. and Russia regarding the relaunch of the Nord Stream 2 project.
According to Bild, these talks, allegedly held in Switzerland, aimed to reinitiate the flow of cheap Russian gas to Germany, with the U.S. acting as an intermediary to regulate and profit from the supply. "As far as I know, those mentioned in the publication have already denied it. The Americans have denied it too. There's a lot of misinformation out there," Peskov stated.
A signing ceremony for an agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine, set for February 28 in the White House's Oval Office, was derailed following a heated exchange involving Zelensky, Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Consequently, Zelensky had to leave the White House ahead of schedule, and the deal was not finalized.
In an interview with Fox News shortly after the altercation, Zelensky, when asked if he felt the need to apologize, expressed gratitude to the U.S. but maintained he "didn't think he did anything wrong," suggesting some matters should be discussed off-camera. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later also demanded an apology from Zelensky.