Despite a phone call between Trump and Putin eight days ago, during which the US leader stated that the Russian president had agreed to “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations, Russia’s attacks have persisted.
In a sharp rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump accused him on Tuesday of “playing with fire” over the ongoing war in Ukraine, warning that if it were not for him, “really bad things” would have already happened to Russia. Trump’s comments come amid one of the most intense waves of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in early 2022.
Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!” His remarks signal a significant shift from his previous relatively softer stance toward Putin, whom he had often spoken of admiringly.
Over the weekend, Trump continued his criticism, calling Putin “absolutely crazy” following a major Russian drone assault on Kyiv that resulted in at least 13 deaths. He also hinted that the US might impose new sanctions on Moscow in response to the attacks, though he did not provide specific details. Several media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and CNN, reported that Trump was considering fresh sanctions as early as this week but might still reconsider.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump expressed frustration at Moscow’s conduct in the stalled peace talks with Kyiv, saying, “He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.” He added that Putin’s desire for full control of Ukraine could ultimately lead to “the downfall of Russia.”
The latest attacks follow a phone call between Trump and Putin eight days ago, during which the Russian leader had allegedly agreed to start ceasefire negotiations immediately. However, Russia accused Ukraine of attempting to sabotage peace efforts, justifying its recent aerial strikes as a response to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian civilians.
Between Friday and Sunday, Russia launched approximately 900 drones at Ukraine, including its largest drone attack to date, firing 355 drones in a single night. From Monday to Tuesday, Russian forces fired an additional 60 drones, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its air defences intercepted 99 Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions, as the conflict shows no signs of abating.
Trump’s recent remarks underline his growing impatience with Putin’s war strategy and hint at possible tougher US actions if the conflict continues to escalate.
