Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump has escalated his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that he is “playing with fire” following a series of massive Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.
Trump said that Putin is underestimating the severity of the current geopolitical situation.
He said that Putin is playing with fire, adding, “If it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia — and I mean really bad.”
The comments follow a similar criticism on Sunday, in which the US President accused Putin of having “gone absolutely crazy” after Moscow launched airstrikes on Ukrainian targets for three consecutive nights.
Trump, who has previously touted a strong rapport with Putin, expressed surprise at his recent conduct.
Trump said that he always had a very good relationship with Putin, but something has happened to him.
Russia immediately dismissed the remarks. Speaking to journalists, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov characterized Trump’s comments as “emotional overload.”
Read More: Trump Slams Putin as ‘Absolutely Crazy’ Over Ukraine Attacks
The renewed war of words comes as global concern grows over Moscow’s intensifying military actions in Ukraine and amid increased tensions between the US and Russia.
Trump is also considering new sanctions on Moscow amid growing frustration over continued strikes in Ukraine and stalled peace negotiations with Putin, according to US media.
While no new financial sanctions are expected, the Trump administration is considering alternative measures, including supporting a 30-day Ukraine-supported ceasefire—an offer Russia has repeatedly rejected.
Trump, who once pledged to end the war on day one of his presidency, may abandon peace negotiations altogether if no progress is made.
Read More: Trump Gave No Concessions to Putin: Rubio
Despite a recent phone call with Putin that led to an agreement for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv, Trump struck a hardline tone saying that “Putin is sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
