The Kremlin today declared that President Vladimir Putin was still ‘open’ to speaking to Donald Trump after the US president said he was ‘very angry’ with the Russian leader over little progress on a ceasefire in Ukraine.
‘This process is time-consuming, probably due to the fact of the complexity of the substance. The president remains open to contact with President Trump,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
He added that ‘there is no scheduled’ phone call between the leaders, but that ‘when it is necessary, their conversation will be promptly organised’.
It comes shortly after Volodymyr Zelensky implored his American counterpart to ‘force Russia into peace’, after the Republican admitted he was ‘p***ed off’ with Putin.
Trump took umbrage with his opposite number in the Kremlin after he questioned Zelensky’s credibility last week, insisting the current Ukrainian government needed to be ousted and replaced with an interim administration.
It was a welcome turnaround for officials in Kyiv given that Trump had labelled the Ukrainian president a ‘dictator without elections’ only weeks ago and claimed he was ‘sick’ of handling the war and aiding Kyiv.
Speaking with NBC host Kristen Welker over the weekend, Trump warned that Moscow could face a new round of harsh economic sanctions for the flub in peace negotiations.
He said this would include a tariff of between 25 and 50 percent on oil from Russia, as well as a warning to other countries that if they do buy oil from Putin’s country, ‘you can’t do business in the United States.’
The Kremlin today declared that President Vladimir Putin was still ‘open’ to speaking to Donald Trump after the US president said he was ‘very angry’ with the Russian leader
United States President Donald J Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a press conference in Kyiv on March 28, 2025
A view shows the frontline city of Pokrovsk, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 25, 2025
A wounded soldier on a stretcher receives medical attention at a medical stabilization point near the frontline city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region
In the wake of the public tirade, Zelensky took to X to say his nation needs to ‘engage more with America, find ways to force Russia into peace, and work on security guarantees, which must become our next step after the ceasefire.’
He said in his post: ‘Right now, Russia continues looking for excuses to drag this war out even further. Putin is playing the same game he has since 2014.
‘This is dangerous for everyone – and there should be an appropriate response from the United States, Europe, and all our global partners who seek peace.’
Last night, Sir Keir Starmer also spoke to Trump and discussed the ‘productive negotiations between their respective teams on a UK-US economic prosperity deal’.
Downing Street said: ‘Prime Minister spoke to President Trump this evening.
‘The President opened by wishing His Majesty the King best wishes and good health.
‘They discussed the productive negotiations between their respective teams on a UK-US economic prosperity deal, agreeing that these will continue at pace this week.
‘Discussing Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated the President on the productive discussions at the meeting of the Coalition of Willing in Paris this week. The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin.
‘They agreed to stay in touch in the coming days.’
Trump on Wednesday will unveil new rounds of tariffs that he says are part of a so-called ‘Liberation Day’ with an aim for the US to stop relying on other countries and bring back business to the home land.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media aboard Air Force One before landing in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., March 28, 2025
Ukrainian rescuers work to extinguish a fire at the site of a drone strike in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, 26 March 2025
Meanwhile, the US is leading peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in the ongoing war – and while it appeared to be heading in the direction for a deal, that might have fallen apart last week.
‘If we’re in the midst of a negotiation, you could say that I was very angry, p***ed off, when Putin said yesterday that – you know, when Putin started getting into Zelensky’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right location, you understand?’ Trump told the Meet the Press host.
‘What he wanted – and I mean, he thought, you know, started talking about new leadership,’ he added.
‘But new leadership means you’re not gonna have a deal for a long time, right?’
Putin, 72, demanded during a visit to the Russian city of Murmansk on Friday that Zelensky, 47, resign in order to accelerate a peace deal between the two nations.
He said Russia has the ‘strategic initiative’ across the front lines of the war.
Putin also claimed his country’s troops had moved from the stage of ‘grinding [Ukraine] down’ and vowed to now ‘finish them off ‘ in a fresh threat.
Donald Trump says he is ‘p***ed off’ at Vladimir Putin for questioning Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy and demanded new leadership for Ukraine
Putin said during a visit to Murmansk, Russia on Friday that Ukraine needs new leadership – but the country does not allow for elections while its under martial law
While speaking at the visit to launch a nuclear-powered submarine, Putin said the United Nations should take control in Kyiv in order to install ‘competent’ leadership who would be willing to sign a peace deal.
The Russian leader claimed Zelensky lacks the legitimacy to sign any agreement at this stage due to the Ukrainian leader remaining in power for longer than he was elected for.
Ukrainian law does not allow for elections while the country is under martial law.
Trump says that Putin is aware he is ‘angry’ but said their relationship remains ‘good.’
The president told NBC News that he will speak with the Russian leader again this week.
The breakdown in peace negotiations comes as it appeared they were leading towards a deal earlier this month.
‘I was p***ed off about it,’ Trump told Welker of Putin’s latest comments.
The president vowed: ‘If a deal isn’t made, and if I think it was Russia’s fault, I’m going to put secondary sanctions on Russia.’
‘Anybody buying oil from Russia will not be able to sell their product, any product, not just oil, into the United States,’ he said of the potential economic punishment for Moscow.
Zelesnky sat down with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in a tense Oval Office meeting last month.
An exchange caught on-camera by the press in the room issuing questions for the world leaders showed Trump and Vance demanding that Zelensky thank the U.S. for the billions in military aid and the leadership in peace talks with Russia.
Trump has repeatedly touted his ability to lead difficult negotiations with adversaries and has said his good relationship with Putin is an asset to the U.S.
Zelensky, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance met in the Oval Office on February 28
In the midst of negotiations, meanwhile, Moscow has maintained its assault on Ukraine by continuing to drop bombs on the wartorn eastern European nation.
Russian troops captured two villages in eastern and southern Ukraine on Saturday, March 29 as the forces continue to push their way into Ukrainian territory despite Trump’s ceasefire efforts.
Putin is now resettling hundreds of thousands of his citizens in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia in a move being likened to ‘ethnic cleansing’ as he seeks to ensure retaining of the captured land.
Russia’s defense ministry revealed that Moscow captured the village of Shchebraki in the southern Zaporizhzhia region and Panteleimonivka in the eastern Donetsk region.
Those Russians who moved to the area allegedly were offered larger salaries with the promise of being able to fill the homes abandoned by fleeing Ukrainians.
