Kremlin ‘Fully Agrees’ With Trump’s Zelensky Criticism

Oct. 16, 2026 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency The Kremlin expressed “full” agreement Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the stalled peace efforts. “The fact that Zelensky doesn’t want to take responsibility and enter a peaceful settlement process is unambiguous,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing. “Here, we fully agree with President Trump’s point of view,” Peskov said. Trump sharply criticized Zelensky in an interview with the Newsmax outlet, saying he believes Russia and Ukraine will end up reaching a ceasefire after the Ukrainian leader steps down. “He doesn’t want to settle. He says he wants to settle, but he doesn’t,” Trump said of Zelensky and the conflict running for more than four and a half years. Trump noted that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky would like to see the war end, “but I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.” Putin continues to demand that Ukraine cede full control of the Donetsk region as a prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement — a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Sources close to the Kremlin told Bloomberg last month that Putin expects Russian forces to take full control of the Donetsk region by late February 2027. At a summit in Brussels on Friday, European leaders pushed back against the growing rift between Washington and Kyiv, offering unconditional backing to Zelensky as winter approaches. Despite their public backing, European officials reportedly plan to privately urge Zelensky to tone down his public criticism of Trump. Read more about: Peskov , Trump , Peace Talks Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Trump Blasts Ukraine for ‘Zero Gratitude’ to U.S. as Talks Start Trump’s shot at Ukraine and U.S. allies reflected the Republican’s annoyance over the war, which Russia began. 2 Min read Trump ‘More Confident’ of Ukraine Deal After Talks U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was much more confident of a deal to end the Ukraine war after talks that drew a strong rebuke from Kyiv over... 1 Min read Trump Team to Meet Russians, Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia – U.S. Officials A senior team from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will start talks in Saudi Arabia with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators on ending the Ukraine... 2 Min read Experts, Politicians Lukewarm on Prospects for Putin-Trump Peace Talks Experts and political figures on both sides of the Atlantic appeared skeptical that talks between the two leaders could lead to a lasting peace. 4 Min read