Kremlin defends Trump's 'emotional' attacks on Zelensky

U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky / AFP-Yonhap

The Kremlin on Friday defended U.S. President Donald Trump's fierce personal attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, including calling him a "dictator," as Moscow seeks to capitalize on the growing rift between Washington and Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested Trump was likely "emotional" due to frustration over Ukraine's refusal to engage seriously in peace negotiations.

This week, Trump accused Zelenskyy of being an unelected "dictator" with little public support and appeared to falsely suggest that Ukraine, not Russia, started the war.

However, according to Peskov, Trump's rhetoric does not mean he is taking "a pro-Russian stance."

"I think this is wrong," Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies.

Trump has also taken positions that align with Moscow's on ending the war, including ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and dismissing the possibility of restoring Ukraine's pre-2014 borders.

As of Monday, Ukraine will have been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion for three years. Washington has been Kyiv's largest supplier of military aid. (DPA)