New Delhi: Following Russia’s intensified offensive against Ukraine, marked by a record-breaking barrage of drones and missiles that claimed 13 lives after a recent prisoner swap, US President Donald Trump voiced strong condemnation against Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Speaking from Morristown airport on Monday, Trump declared he was “not happy” with Putin’s actions.
“He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,” Trump said, expressing dismay despite their long-standing relationship. “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”
The US president also affirmed he was “absolutely” considering enhanced sanctions on Russia in light of the renewed aggression, according to the AFP report.
Trump later escalated his criticism on his Truth Social platform, asserting that Putin “has gone absolutely CRAZY!” He wrote, “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.” Trump reiterated his long-held belief that Putin seeks “ALL of Ukraine,” cautioning that such an ambition “will lead to the downfall of Russia!”
However, Trump’s discontent wasn’t solely aimed at Moscow. He also levelled criticism at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating, “President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favours by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”
Trump claimed that the war would never have commenced under his presidency, labeling it “Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s’,” and positioning himself as merely “helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.”
These remarks follow Russia’s most recent aerial attack, which saw approximately 367 drones and missiles launched overnight Sunday, impacting several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv. This massive offensive came just after the two nations completed their largest prisoner swap of the three-year war, exchanging around 1,000 captured individuals.
The recent drone strikes by Russia killed 13 people, including two children aged eight and twelve, and a 17-year-old. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy responded to the “brutality,” emphasising that such aggression can only be halted through “truly strong pressure” to force Putin to end the war.
