U.S. President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin, declaring he had “gone absolutely CRAZY” following a series of massive aerial bombardments on Ukraine.
In a social media post Sunday, Trump also stated he was considering new sanctions against Moscow, while simultaneously issuing a sharp rebuke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The strong condemnation from Trump came as Ukrainians endured a third consecutive night of extensive Russian air attacks, with drones and missiles targeting locations across the country.
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“Something has happened to him (Putin). He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”
However, Trump also directed criticism towards the Ukrainian leader, posting, “Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”
The Kremlin, when asked about Trump’s characterization of Putin, acknowledged U.S. assistance in peace negotiations but suggested emotional strain might be influencing such remarks. “This is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions,” stated Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
President Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, did not directly respond to Trump’s criticism but asserted that the relentless Russian attacks reflected Putin’s “political choice” and demonstrated the Kremlin’s lack of interest in ending the war.
“There is no military sense in this, but it is an obvious political choice – a choice by Putin, a choice by Russia – a choice to continue the war and destroy lives,” Zelenskyy said. He added that the attacks, involving over 900 drones and missiles in three nights, showed Russia was “playing with diplomacy” and “deserves full-scale pressure, everything that can be done to limit their military capability.”
These developments add a new layer of complexity to a situation where President Trump has reportedly been growing increasingly frustrated with Putin’s perceived stalling of Ukraine peace negotiations. Sources familiar with Trump’s thinking had previously told The Wall Street Journal that he was considering more economic measures to pressure Russia.
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Despite a phone call initiated by Trump to Putin on May 19 aimed at renewing peace talks, which Trump had suggested were imminent, Moscow has largely remained silent while continuing its offensive. In contrast, the U.S. and Ukraine have recently strengthened their ties through multiple economic and military agreements.
The discussion around potential new sanctions also occurs as European officials reportedly sought to convince Trump of the utility of such measures. This is despite ongoing debate about the effectiveness of previous sanctions regimes, with some analysts arguing they may have inadvertently made Russia less reliant on Western trade.
For example, Russia significantly increased discounted oil sales to India and China, reportedly boosting its oil profits by 50% in 2024 compared to 2023.
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The war in Ukraine has now raged for three years, claiming tens of thousands of lives while frontlines have remained relatively stagnant since the initial full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Trump’s recent remarks indicate a volatile diplomatic front, even as he expresses impatience with both the Kremlin and, to a lesser extent, the Ukrainian leadership.
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