Kremlin says 'fully' agrees with Trump's opposition to Ukraine firing US missiles

Trump said in an interview published Thursday that he disagreed "very vehemently" with Ukraine's use of American-supplied missiles to strike Russian territory.

The comments were warmly welcomed in the Kremlin, which on Friday said it had launched a massive aerial attack on Ukraine's energy grid as a response to Kyiv striking an airfield with US-supplied weapons this week.

"The statement fully aligns with our position, with our view on the reasons for escalation. That impresses us. It is obvious that Trump understands exactly what is escalating the situation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Trump had told Time Magazine: "I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? I think it's a foolish decision."

Moscow has repeatedly raged against the supply of Western arms to Ukraine and said the use of the weapons makes NATO countries direct participants in the nearly three-year conflict.

Trump claimed on the campaign trail that he could strike a deal to end the fighting in 24 hours, and speculation over a possible ceasefire is ramping up ahead of his inauguration in January.

But the Kremlin said Friday that its "prerequisites" for holding peace talks with Ukraine had not yet been met.

"We don't want a ceasefire, we want peace, after our conditions are met and all our goals are achieved," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that the "prerequisites" needed to open negotiations were not in place.

Trump's interview was conducted before the November 27 Thanksgiving holiday and before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral, a meeting brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron.