The Kremlin announced on December 25 (local time) that Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent Christmas greetings to U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to TASS and RIA Novosti, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, stated during a briefing that day, "President Putin has already sent a Christmas congratulatory telegram to President Trump."
However, spokesperson Peskov clarified that no phone call was scheduled between President Putin and President Trump that day.
Peskov also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Christmas address from the previous day, calling it "barbaric."
President Zelensky delivered a Christmas message to the nation, stating, "Today we all share one dream, and we all wish for one hope to come true for all of us," adding, "That he will vanish." This was interpreted as a remark directed at President Putin.
Peskov commented, "I saw reports about President Zelensky's very strange Christmas address yesterday," describing it as "barbaric and filled with hatred." He further stated that President Zelensky appeared unstable and added, "I question whether he is capable of making appropriate decisions through political and diplomatic means."
Regarding negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov explained that the Kremlin is analyzing the contents of the Ukrainian peace proposal, which were reported to President Putin by special envoy Kirill Dmitriev after negotiations with the U.S. side in Miami, Florida, on December 20-21. He stated, "We are analyzing the materials and will continue communication with the United States based on the President's decision."
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, assessed during a briefing that day that there has been slow but steady progress in dialogue between Russia and the United States regarding the Ukraine issue. She stated that Russia is demanding resistance to attempts by Western countries to undermine efforts for peace in Ukraine while maintaining contact with the United States.
Regarding the U.S. blockade of Venezuela, spokesperson Zakharova said, "We are witnessing a complete lawlessness in which theft of others' assets, that is, piracy and robbery, long forgotten, are being revived," strongly condemning such actions and calling for stability and the establishment of law and order in the maritime domain.
She went on to emphasize, "We hope that President Trump's pragmatism and rationality will help seek mutually acceptable solutions within the framework of international law." She also conveyed that Russia supports the efforts of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government to defend its sovereignty and national interests.
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