MOSCOW

Ukrainian officials frequently make inappropriate remarks about heads of state, the Kremlin spokesman said Thursday, commenting on a verbal skirmish between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Dmitry Peskov said the rhetoric of Zelenskyy and many representatives of Ukraine are "far from being polite."

"In recent months, Ukrainian officials have increasingly made statements about foreign leaders that are entirely inappropriate," he said.

Peskov added that "inappropriate statements" by Zelenskky and other Ukrainian officials about heads of state are "unacceptable."

Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday called Zelenskyy a "dictator" and "modestly successful comedian" who "talked" the US into "the war that can't be won."

Turning to Trump's remarks about Zelenskyy's declining approval rating, Peskov concurred: "The fact that Zelenskyy's rating is falling is an obvious trend, and it would be difficult to argue otherwise. However, we prefer not to engage in discussions about specific figures."

Russia ‘absolutely’ agrees with US on peaceful settlement of Ukrainian crisis

Addressing the Ukrainian conflict, Peskov echoed the stance of the Trump administration, emphasizing the preference for a diplomatic resolution.

The representatives of the new US administration say that "it is necessary to establish peace as soon as possible and to do so through negotiations," Peskov said, noting: "This position appeals to us more than the position of the previous administration."

"Here we absolutely agree with the American administration. We also believe that all goals should be achieved, preferably by peaceful means, through negotiations," he added.

Peskov contrasted this approach with that of the former Joe Biden administration, which sought to fight Russia "to the last Ukrainian."

However, he acknowledged that the current US position has shifted, even though Washington remains the primary driving force behind the financial support for Ukraine in the war.

"Certain steps are being taken toward a peaceful resolution, but concrete details remain scarce. We must be patient," he said, adding that ongoing differences between the US and Ukraine are hindering progress.

Peskov then expressed concern over Europe's plans to deploy military personnel in Ukraine, stating that Moscow is closely monitoring reports and the often contradictory statements from European officials on the matter.

He also reaffirmed Russia's position that the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine is "completely unacceptable."