Donald Trump Warns Vladimir Putin: 'Playing With Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict

Washington: US President Donald Trump has delivered a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, cautioning that he's "playing with fire" amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Trump's strong rebuke came up as Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, unleashing 367 drones and missiles that killed at least 12 people, including children. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been intensifying, with Trump expressing frustration over Putin's actions. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realise is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!" Trump's comments suggested he sees himself as having previously restrained actions that could have severely harmed Russia, possibly through diplomacy, US policy, or military restraint.

The recent escalation in Ukraine has led to global concern, with Ukrainian officials estimating around 900 drones launched by Russia in attacks from Friday through Sunday night. Trump expressed frustration over Putin's actions, saying, "I'm not happy with what Putin's doing. He's killing a lot of people." He also questioned Putin's motives, stating, "I don't know what the hell happened to Putin. I've known him for a long time. Always gotten along with him. But he's sending rockets into cities and killing people."

Trump Deems Putin 'Crazy'

Donald Trump's recent criticism of Putin marked a shift in tone, particularly after their two-hour phone conversation the previous Monday, which Trump initially described as productive. However, with no progress made in concluding the war, the US President has grown publicly frustrated with Putin's actions. "Something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" Trump wrote 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!”

Calls For Sanctions

Trump's comments come as Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley encouraged the president to impose sanctions on Russia. "I've had enough of Putin killing innocent people. President Trump, take action AT LEAST SANCTIONS," Grassley posted on X. Trump has yet to make a move on sanctions but has expressed willingness to consider them, stating on Sunday that he was "absolutely" considering more sanctions on Russia in response to the escalating violence.

The Kremlin has responded to Trump's criticism, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggesting that Trump's comments might be due to emotional strain. Meanwhile, European leaders are worried about Russia's growing ties with China and the possible implications for the conflict. As the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate, world leaders are calling for restraint and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Defending Putin's actions as necessary for Russia's security, the Kremlin spokesman said, "President Putin is taking the decisions that are necessary to ensure the security of our country." Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched "355 Shahed-type drones" along with nine cruise missiles in the largest drone assault since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

The humanitarian toll of the conflict is evident, with 18 residential buildings damaged in western Ukraine's Khmelnytsky region and a 14-year-old boy injured in the southern Odesa region. Ukrainian officials reported one civilian killed in the northeastern Sumy region due to Russian shelling.