Russia Maintains Dialogue with US Amid Trump’s Frustration with Putin

Tensions rise as Trump critiques Putin, leading Kremlin to confirm ongoing US relations despite growing frustrations.

In an unexpected display of frustration, President Trump has conveyed his anger towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly regarding Putin's comments about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Despite this rift, the Kremlin has asserted that it is still "working with the US" to maintain diplomatic relations. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked on the importance of continuing talks, stating, "We continue working with the US side, first of all, on building our relations."

While Peskov noted that there would be no immediate call scheduled between Putin and Trump, he emphasized that Putin remains open to dialogue if necessary. Trump's remarks came in response to Putin suggesting the idea of an interim government in Ukraine, which would potentially undermine Zelensky’s credibility – an issue that triggered Trump's ire in a recent NBC News interview. The US President threatened to impose a 50% tariff on countries purchasing Russian oil unless Putin agrees to a ceasefire, signaling a significant shift in his tone toward the Kremlin.

Despite weeks of discussions aimed at brokering peace in the ongoing Ukraine crisis, Trump's overt critique of Putin marks a rare moment of tension in US-Russian relations. Historically, Trump's comments have often criticized Zelensky while sparing Putin from similar rebukes. However, the turning point occurred when Trump expressed, "You could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when... Putin started getting into Zelensky's credibility."

In response to these developments, Peskov described parts of Trump’s NBC interview as "paraphrased," suggesting a potential misunderstanding of the intentions behind Putin's statements. Meanwhile, the Russian media, particularly the pro-Kremlin outlet Moskovsky Komsomolets, reflected a shift in narrative by criticizing Trump for not adhering to his commitments of ensuring Ukraine does not target Russian energy assets. The article concluded that while "all agreements on the level of President Trump are only worth a few pennies on market day," Moscow is still "prepared to make a deal" with the US president. As the situation unfolds, the diplomatic relationship remains in a delicate equilibrium amid rising scrutiny on both sides.