Moscow, 26 May 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The Kremlin suggested on Monday that US President Donald Trump's harsh criticism of President Vladimir Putin is down to "emotional overload," amid uncertainty over the status of negotiations to try and end the war in Ukraine.

The prospect of negotiations is "connected, of course, with emotional overload of absolutely everyone and with emotional reactions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency TASS.

He rejected Trump's criticism of the mass bombardment of Ukraine over the past three nights, arguing that Putin was "making the decisions that are necessary to ensure the security of our country."

The intensive attacks on Ukraine prompted Trump to tell reporters on Sunday that he was "not happy with what Putin is doing."

"We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities. I don't like it at all. And I'm surprised. I'm very surprised."

He followed up his comments with a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

"I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" Trump wrote.

On Monday, the opposition Russian portal Mediazona noted that the later statements by Trump were either not quoted or were abridged by state and state-affiliated media in Russia.

Trump's critical words about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were reproduced in detail, however.

"Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President," Trump wrote about Zelensky.

Peskov said on Monday that the time and venue for further talks with Ukraine had not yet been decided.

A memorandum in which Moscow intends to present its view on a possible conflict resolution has also not yet been handed over to the Ukrainians.

A week ago, Trump talked directly to both leaders, and announced afterwards that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would take place "immediately." These never transpired, however.

Representatives from the two sides held talks in Istanbul in mid-May, with no results apart from an exchange of prisoners.

MIA file photo