U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to the Russian leader, accusing him of “playing with fire” over Moscow’s continued military aggression in Ukraine.
The warning, delivered via Trump’s Truth Social platform on Tuesday, follows a weekend post in which the president labeled Putin “CRAZY” after a deadly Russian drone barrage killed at least 13 people in Kyiv. Trump’s posts come amid growing frustration over stalled ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine.
“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,” Trump wrote, without elaborating on what those consequences might entail.
This marked a dramatic rhetorical departure from Trump’s previously conciliatory tone toward Putin, whom he has often praised for being a strong leader. Now, however, the president appears increasingly disillusioned with Russia’s role in derailing potential peace talks, despite having spoken with Putin by phone just eight days earlier. According to Trump, the Russian leader had agreed to “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations—an agreement that seems to have quickly unraveled.
Sources including The Wall Street Journal and CNN report that the Trump administration is actively considering imposing new sanctions on Moscow as early as this week, though officials caution that the president could still change course. Trump confirmed to reporters on Sunday that he was “absolutely” considering additional sanctions.
The Kremlin has responded by accusing Ukraine of attempting to sabotage peace efforts, claiming its latest aerial strikes are a direct retaliation to increasing Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory.
The situation has highlighted a growing divide between Trump’s previous approach to Putin and his current stance as the war in Ukraine drags on. With geopolitical tensions rising and diplomatic efforts faltering, Trump’s latest comments signal a potentially more aggressive U.S. posture toward Russia one that could have significant implications for the future of the conflict.
