In a recent post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump made bold statements regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin, labeling him as "absolutely CRAZY" and accusing him of "needlessly killing a lot of people," including civilians, amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This marks a significant shift in Trump's stance towards the Kremlin, particularly as his efforts to negotiate peace in the region seem to be faltering with no clear resolution on the horizon.
Trump’s comments follow a devastating weekend where Russia launched a massive assault on Ukraine, targeting 30 cities and villages with drones and missiles, resulting in at least 12 fatalities, including three children. In his post, Trump condemned the indiscriminate attacks, stating, "Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever." He reiterated his long-held belief that Putin desires complete control over Ukraine, asserting, "I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right." However, he cautioned that such ambitions could ultimately lead to the "downfall of Russia."
Trump's pointed criticism of Putin suggests a potential shift in the mood within the U.S. administration towards the Russian leader. Initially, there was a more sympathetic approach to Moscow's position in the conflict. Nonetheless, Trump's recent remarks indicate a growing frustration with the ongoing war, which he has previously blamed on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Even though Russia initiated a full-scale invasion in February 2022, Trump has maintained that Zelenskyy is responsible for starting and prolonging the conflict.
The timing of Trump's comments coincides with a massive attack on Ukraine, occurring shortly after a two-hour phone call between Trump and Putin, where they discussed a proposed 30-day ceasefire initiated by the U.S. President. Trump's escalating ire towards Putin seems to correlate with this attack, reflecting his discontent with the current state of affairs. In his post, Trump acknowledged his previously good relationship with Putin, stating, "I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him."
While Trump’s post was critical of Putin, he also directed his frustration towards President Zelenskyy, asserting that the Ukrainian leader is "doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does." Trump expressed discontent with Zelenskyy’s communication style, claiming, "Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop."
In a recent statement, President Zelenskyy highlighted the ongoing nature of the conflict, emphasizing that "the world may go on a weekend break, but the war continues, regardless of weekends and weekdays." He warned that the silence of the U.S. and other nations only serves to embolden Putin. Despite Trump's past pledge to end the war in Ukraine in "24 hours," he has faced significant challenges in achieving this goal. His latest post follows repeated threats from the president and other officials to abandon ceasefire negotiations, with Trump stating, "This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not 'Trump’s.' I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred."
