The Kremlin has thrown its support behind Donald Trump in his growing dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, condemning Zelenskiy’s remarks about world leaders as “unacceptable.” Meanwhile, a senior Russian official expressed surprise at how rapidly the U.S. stance on Ukraine has shifted.

Trump’s return to the presidency has begun to thaw the frozen relations between Washington and Moscow, which had plunged to their lowest point since the Cuban Missile Crisis under Joe Biden due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. In contrast, Kyiv’s relationship with the U.S.—critical to its defense against Russia—has started to strain under Trump, particularly over potential American resource deals in Ukraine and Washington’s decision to engage in direct talks with Russia about Ukraine’s future without Kyiv’s involvement.

On Wednesday, Zelenskiy accused Trump of living in a “disinformation bubble” after the former U.S. president labeled him a “dictator” and inaccurately claimed his approval rating was just 4%. By Thursday, the Kremlin had stepped in to side with Trump.

“The rhetoric of Zelenskiy and many in the Kyiv government leaves much to be desired. His declining approval rating is a clear trend,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, though he refrained from discussing specific polling figures, which show Zelenskiy’s support remains above 50% in Ukraine.

Peskov also accused Kyiv of mishandling foreign aid, echoing a frequent criticism from Trump’s administration. This narrative aligns with Moscow’s broader strategy of reinforcing Trump’s stance on Ukraine, with Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, at times mirroring Trump’s rhetoric.

The rapid realignment in U.S. foreign policy has left Western allies scrambling to respond. Britain has indicated a willingness to deploy troops to support Ukraine, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is set to visit Kyiv to reaffirm Spain’s commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed amazement at how quickly Trump’s position had evolved. “If you had told me three months ago that the U.S. president would say these words, I would have laughed out loud,” Medvedev wrote on X, endorsing Trump’s statements as “200 percent right.”

With discussions of a potential Trump-Putin meeting, direct U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine, and a cooling of relations between Kyiv and Washington, Moscow sees a renewed opportunity to shape a settlement largely on its own terms.

Zelenskiy has been a staunch opponent of any concessions to Russia, and Moscow views him as a major obstacle to ending the war. Both Putin and Trump have suggested that Ukraine’s leader should hold an election to renew his mandate, given that last year’s scheduled vote was suspended under martial law—something Zelenskiy argues is not feasible during wartime.

Some Russian hardliners, like nationalist businessman Konstantin Malofeyev, have gone further, insisting that Ukraine must elect a new president before any peace deal can be reached. “Yes, Ukrainian voters will still elect an anti-Russian leader, but it won’t be Zelenskiy,” Malofeyev claimed, suggesting a new administration would be more willing to negotiate.