Kremlin praises Trump for criticising Ukrainian strikes deep into Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin praised U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday for criticising Ukrainian missile strikes deep into Russian territory but said discussions about deploying European troops to keep a possible future peace in Ukraine were premature.

With Russia advancing at the fastest rate since the 2022 invasion, Trump and some European leaders have discussed how to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump criticised Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied missiles for attacks deep into Russia in a Time magazine interview published on Thursday, saying it was "crazy" because it escalated the war. He said Washington should not have allowed it.

"The statement itself completely coincides with our position," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He said Trump's remarks were in line with "our vision of the causes of escalation".

"It appeals to us," Peskov said. "It is obvious that Trump understands exactly what is escalating the situation."

Russia has said the decision by U.S. President Joe Biden to let Ukraine strike deep into Russia with U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles could trigger a world war, but some Western leaders suggest Russia has military ambitions beyond Ukraine.

Kyiv says it should be able to strike at its enemy although some U.S. officials question whether the Ukrainian missile strikes can change the course of the war.

Russia said on Wednesday Ukraine had struck a military airfield on the Azov Sea with six U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles.

After Ukraine struck Russia with ATACMS last month, Russia fired a new hypersonic ballistic missile known as "Oreshnik", or Hazel Tree, at Ukraine, and Putin said Russia reserved the right to hit U.S. and British military facilities.

EUROPEAN TROOPS?

While campaigning for the presidency, Trump said he would swiftly end the war, but has not detailed in public how he would do so.

Asked whether Trump's words gave the Kremlin greater hope for ending the war, Peskov cautioned that during his first term as U.S. president Trump imposed many sanctions on Russia.

"Let's not forget, sanctions were imposed against our country over 50 times, and there were many unfriendly manifestations towards our country," Peskov said. "This should not be forgotten, so do not get ahead of yourself."

The Kremlin said discussions by European powers about possibly deploying European troops to police any ceasefire were premature, but did not dismiss the idea outright.

"All this should be discussed during the negotiations," Peskov said of the European discussions. "We have repeatedly said that a truce in itself is not what we want: we need peace."

Peace, he said, would come after conditions set out by Russia were fulfilled and all Moscow's goals were achieved.

Setting out his opening terms for an immediate end to the war, Putin said in June that Ukraine must drop ambitions to join NATO and withdraw its troops from four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by Russia. He has also said agreements rejected by Kyiv in early 2022 could form the basis of a deal.

Reuters reported last month that Putin is open to discussing a ceasefire deal with Trump but rules out any big territorial concessions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said this week Kyiv wanted an end to the war and efforts were needed to make his country stronger and oblige the Kremlin to work towards peace.

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov in Moscow and Maxim Rodionov in London; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Timothy Heritage)