Trump on Ukrainian war: Putin plays with fire
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “playing with fire,” as Moscow and Kyiv exchanged drone strikes overnight despite claims of peace progress.
"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!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump’s latest remarks come in the wake of some of the most intense drone and missile strikes on Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022. Russia launched 60 drones across Ukraine overnight, injuring 10 civilians and sparking fires, days after a record 355-drone assault. Ukraine intercepted 43, including eight via electronic warfare, as both sides escalated attacks despite Moscow’s claims of pursuing a peace proposal.
Russia’s Defense Ministry indicated that its drone barrages were in response to escalating Ukrainian attacks, accusing Kyiv and unnamed European countries of attempting to derail diplomacy. The ministry claimed to have downed 99 Ukrainian drones in one day, including 56 over Belgorod near the border. Between May 20 and 27, it said air defenses intercepted more than 2,300 drones.
Speaking to reporters, Trump earlier described Putin as “absolutely crazy” and expressed frustration with the mounting civilian toll. He hinted at possible new sanctions against Moscow. According to CNN, several punitive options have been prepared, though Trump has yet to authorize any of them. Some of his advisers have cautioned that further sanctions could complicate ongoing peace efforts.
