WASHINGTON. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday described Russian President Vladimir Putin as having “gone crazy” following Russia’s massive aerial assault on Ukraine, while also signaling he may push for new sanctions on Moscow if the attacks continue.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump reacted to what Ukrainian authorities called one of the most intense bombardments of the war, with over 900 drones and missiles launched by Russia across three consecutive nights.
“Something has happened to him (Putin). He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote. “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!”
Despite the sharp rebuke of Putin, Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, saying, “He is doing his Country no favours by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”
At a press conference in New Jersey, Trump added, “I don’t know what’s wrong with him (Putin). What the hell happened to him? Right? He’s killing a lot of people. I’m not happy about that.”
The Kremlin responded to Trump’s comments with restraint. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the remark was likely a result of “emotional overload” and thanked the American public and Trump for prior support in launching peace initiatives.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy, in his nightly address, condemned the latest Russian attacks, describing them as a deliberate political decision by Putin to prolong the war and cause destruction. “There is no military sense in this, but it is an obvious political choice, a choice by Putin, a choice by Russia — a choice to continue the war and destroy lives,” Zelenskiy said.
He emphasized that Russia deserved “full-scale pressure” and renewed calls for increased efforts to restrict Moscow’s military capabilities.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia’s most recent strikes targeted five areas, including the Khmelnytskyi region, where seven cruise missiles and dozens of drones damaged industrial sites and residential buildings. A 14-year-old boy was reportedly injured in Odesa, and the Starokostiantyniv air base was struck, according to the Russian Defence Ministry.
Ukraine also continued launching drone attacks into Russia, briefly shutting down Moscow airports.
The war, now in its third year, shows no signs of de-escalation, with both sides engaging in intense combat, particularly in the eastern front. Despite international efforts, including those by European leaders and Trump, to encourage peace talks, meaningful progress remains elusive.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed hope that Trump’s increasingly vocal opposition to Putin might translate into stronger U.S. sanctions that could deter further aggression.
While Russia claims its ongoing campaign is a “special military operation” to protect against NATO expansion, Ukraine and its allies describe it as a full-scale and unprovoked invasion.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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