United States President, Donald Trump, has lashed out at Russian President, Vladimir Putin, following the most intense aerial assault since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began three years ago.
Trump, in a strongly worded post on Truth Social on Sunday, criticised Russia’s latest strikes on Ukrainian cities, which have left at least 29 people dead and dozens more injured across three days of bombardment.
He wrote, “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! 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.”
Earlier the same day, Trump had voiced his frustration to reporters. “I’m not happy with what Putin is doing. He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin.”
The strikes, which took place from Friday through to early Monday, mark the heaviest aerial campaign since Russia’s invasion began, with Saturday into Sunday recording the highest number of missiles and drones launched in a single attack, according to Ukrainian officials.
According to CNN, Trump’s public condemnation is being interpreted in Western capitals as a sign of growing discontent in Washington over Russia’s refusal to consider a 30-day ceasefire proposal backed by the United States and Ukraine.
Reacting to Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described them on Monday as an “emotional reaction,” adding that “this is a very important moment, which is associated with the emotional overload of absolutely everyone and with emotional reactions.”
Despite the tensions, Peskov added that Moscow remains “truly grateful to the Americans and personally to President Trump” for his role in efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
The weekend attacks, which included multiple waves of drone and missile strikes, killed at least 25 people by Sunday night, including children, while a further four were confirmed dead on Monday, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The intensification comes amid international pressure on Putin to de-escalate and accept a temporary halt to fighting.
Kyiv has insisted that continued Russian aggression undermines any progress made in recent face-to-face talks earlier this month, which had sparked brief hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough.
ALSO READ: https://tribuneonlineng.com/japa-how-to-keep-your-nigerian-sim-cards-active-while-abroad/
Zelensky had earlier blamed international inaction for emboldening Russia’s continued bombardments, saying on Sunday: “The world may go on vacation, but the war continues, despite weekends and weekdays. This cannot be ignored. America’s silence, and the silence of others in the world, only encourages Putin.”
Trump responded by turning some of his ire toward the Ukrainian president. “Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,” Trump wrote. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”
While the fighting has intensified, there have been isolated signs of progress. A prisoner exchange agreed between Moscow and Kyiv began on Friday, with both sides committing to release 1,000 detainees each.
But any optimism was quickly overtaken by events on the battlefield. Russian forces have claimed to regain control of the Kursk region, a strategically important area that Ukraine had partly retaken last summer.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking to broadcaster ARD, warned on Monday that the war could last far longer than expected.
“We must be prepared for this war to last longer than we can all wish or imagine,” Merz said. He added: “Trump (is) obviously increasingly disillusioned with Putin from the massive attacks on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine over the weekend. In this respect, I hope that America stays on board.”
Trump told reporters he was “very surprised” by the scale of Russia’s latest attack, especially after he had spoken to Putin just a week earlier.
“We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities,” he said on his way back to Washington.
Despite his recent condemnation, Trump confirmed he had spoken again with Putin on Monday in an attempt to broker a ceasefire, and had followed up with calls to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders.
Following those conversations, Trump announced that “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.”
He noted that the terms would be decided directly by both sides: “Conditions will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then