Kremlin Dismisses Trump's Unexpected Stand on Ukraine

The Kremlin rejected Donald Trump's recent statements supporting Ukraine's capacity to reclaim territory from Russia, attributing his stance to influence from Ukrainian President Zelenskiy. Trump did not promise further U.S. support to Kyiv, drawing skepticism from Russian nationalists. Russia maintains its economic resilience despite Western sanctions.

The Kremlin has firmly refuted former U.S. President Donald Trump's surprising remarks suggesting Ukraine could reclaim Russian-held territories. Trump's volte-face came after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, leading to critiques from Russian nationalists who saw it as a withdrawal of U.S. interest in the conflict.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested Trump's change was influenced by Zelenskiy's perspective, which sharply diverges from Russia's view of the ongoing war. Despite Trump's optimistic comments, the Kremlin insists that Ukraine's support from the U.S. and allies is misguided and that current dynamics favor Russia.

Amidst ongoing sanctions, Russia's finance ministry plans to increase value-added tax to bolster military efforts, underscoring a stable, albeit challenged, economy. Meanwhile, analysts attribute the stalled frontlines to balanced capabilities and continuous warfare, while Russia claims deliberate progress to conserve resources and maintain offensive strength.

(With inputs from agencies.)