WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has expressed escalating frustration towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, labeling his recent actions as increasingly aggressive and dangerous. In a social media post on Sunday night, Trump stated, "I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" This sentiment was shared as Moscow conducted a major aerial assault on Ukraine for a third consecutive night, utilizing drones and missiles to target cities, including the capital, Kyiv.
Trump condemned Putin's aggressive military actions, emphasizing that they result in the "needless killing" of many people. He criticized the missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, noting, "for no reason whatsoever." This recent attack is reported to be the largest aerial offensive since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, leading to at least 12 casualties and many more injured, according to Ukrainian officials.
The U.S. president also warned that if Putin's ambition is to capture all of Ukraine, it could “lead to the downfall of Russia!” Furthermore, Trump directed some of his ire towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asserting that Zelenskyy is "doing his country no favors by talking the way he does." He added, "Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop," reflecting growing impatience with the ongoing conflict that has lasted over three years.
Previously, Trump had frequently highlighted his rapport with Putin, often suggesting that Russia was more open to negotiations than Ukraine regarding a possible peace agreement. However, his tone shifted last month when he publicly urged Putin to "STOP!" attacking Ukraine amidst another deadly wave of strikes on Kyiv. Expressing his dissatisfaction with Putin’s actions during a press interaction in northern New Jersey, Trump stated, "I’m not happy with what Putin’s doing. He’s killing a lot of people. And I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin."
The prospect of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine remains distant. This past week, Trump had a phone conversation with Putin, during which he announced the initiation of ceasefire talks between the two nations. This announcement followed a rare face-to-face meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey, the first of its kind since 2022. However, shortly thereafter, the Kremlin clarified that no direct talks were currently scheduled.
In response to Putin's refusal to engage in a ceasefire, the European Union has implemented new sanctions against Russia this month. While Trump has threatened to increase sanctions and tariffs against Russia, he has yet to take concrete action on this front.
