United States President Donald Trump has lambasted his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, describing him as “absolutely crazy” after Moscow launched its largest aerial assault of the conflict on Ukraine, killing at the very least 13 folks.
Trump’s feedback, issued on his Fact Social platform late on Sunday, marked a uncommon rebuke of Putin.
“I’ve all the time had an excellent relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, however one thing has occurred to him. He has gone completely CRAZY!” the US president wrote.
“I’ve all the time stated that he needs ALL of Ukraine, not only a piece of it, and possibly that’s proving to be proper, but when he does, it would result in the downfall of Russia!” he added.
The feedback got here as Ukraine’s Air Power stated Russia had launched a report variety of drones in opposition to Ukraine in a single day on Sunday. It stated Russian forces deployed 298 drones and 69 missiles, however that it was capable of down 266 drones and 45 missiles.
The Russian assault was the biggest of the conflict when it comes to weapons fired, though different strikes have killed extra folks.
Ukraine’s emergency companies described an environment of “terror” throughout the nation on Sunday, and regional officers stated these killed included victims aged eight, 12 and 17 within the northwestern area of Zhytomyr.
Greater than 60 others have been wounded.
“With out really sturdy stress on the Russian management, this brutality can’t be stopped,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on social media.
“The silence of America, the silence of others around the globe solely encourages Putin,” he stated, including: “Sanctions will definitely assist.”
Sanctions
Trump has more and more voiced irritation with Putin and the lack to resolve the now three-year-old conflict, which the US chief had promised he would do inside days of returning to the White Home.
He had lengthy boasted of his pleasant relationship with Putin and repeatedly confused that Russia is extra prepared than Ukraine to achieve a peace deal.
However earlier on Sunday, Trump made it clear that he’s shedding persistence with the Russian president.
“I’m not pleased with what Putin’s doing. He’s killing lots of people. And I don’t know what the hell occurred to Putin,” Trump advised reporters as he departed northern New Jersey, the place he had spent a lot of the weekend.
“I’ve recognized him a very long time, all the time gotten together with him, however he’s sending rockets into cities and killing folks, and I don’t prefer it in any respect.”
Requested if he was contemplating extra sanctions on Russia, Trump stated, “Completely.”
Trump additionally criticised Zelenskyy, a extra frequent goal of his ire, in his social media put up, accusing him of “doing his Nation no favours by speaking the best way he does”.
“All the things out of his mouth causes issues, I don’t prefer it, and it higher cease,” he stated of Zelenskyy.
Europe condemns Russia
A peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine stays elusive.
Final week, Trump and Putin held a two-hour cellphone name, after which the US chief stated Moscow and Kyiv would “instantly begin negotiations in the direction of a ceasefire”.
Putin, nonetheless, made no dedication to pause his three-year invasion of Ukraine, asserting solely a obscure proposal to work on a “memorandum” outlining Moscow’s calls for for peace.
That dialog occurred after Russian and Ukrainian officers met in Turkiye for the primary face-to-face talks since 2022. However on Thursday, the Kremlin stated no direct talks have been scheduled.
The Russian assault in opposition to Ukraine prompted criticism from Europe, too.
The European Union’s prime diplomat, Kaja Kallas, referred to as for “the strongest worldwide stress on Russia to cease this conflict”. In a put up on X, she stated the assaults “once more present Russia bent on extra struggling and the annihilation of Ukraine. Devastating to see kids amongst harmless victims harmed and killed”.
German Minister for Overseas Affairs Johann Wadephul additionally denounced the assaults, saying, “Putin doesn’t need peace, he needs to hold on the conflict and we shouldn’t enable him to do that,” he stated.
“For that reason, we’ll approve additional sanctions at a European stage.”
The huge assaults on Ukraine got here as Russia stated it had exchanged one other 303 Ukrainian prisoners of conflict for a similar variety of Russian troopers held by Kyiv – the final section of a swap agreed throughout talks in Istanbul on Could 16.
That marked their greatest prisoner swap since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with 1,000 captured troopers and civilian prisoners in complete despatched again by either side.
