Trump rebukes Putin, warns of fresh sanctions as Russia lashes out at Ukraine

Donald Trump, president of the United States has launched an unusually sharp rebuke of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, following a wave of deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities over the weekend – the largest aerial assault in the three-year war.

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him,” Trump said on Sunday. “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.”

The statement, posted on Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, was echoed in remarks to reporters later that day. “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,” he added.

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A record night of destruction

His comments came just hours after Russian forces launched a record overnight barrage, firing 355 drones and nine missiles at Ukrainian targets. According to Ukraine’s air force, it was the highest number of drones launched in a single night since the war began. The strikes, which spanned Friday to Sunday, killed at least 29 people, including children, and wounded dozens more, according to Ukrainian officials.

The unprecedented scale of the attacks has heightened pressure on Moscow to accept a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. While Kyiv has agreed to the pause, Putin has so far refused to commit, offering only vague references to a future “memorandum” on potential peace terms.

Kremlin offers measured response

Trump’s intervention, coming just a week after he spoke with both Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, will be closely watched in Western capitals. It marks a notable shift from his previous stance of withholding criticism of the Kremlin, and may signal growing frustration within Washington over Russia’s unwillingness to engage in meaningful peace talks.

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On Monday, the Kremlin moved quickly to downplay the remarks, portraying them as the result of “emotional overload.”

“This is a very important moment, which is associated with the emotional overload of absolutely everyone and with emotional reactions,” said Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson. Despite the criticism, Peskov also offered a diplomatic olive branch, saying Moscow remains “truly grateful to the Americans and personally to president Trump” for his efforts to facilitate negotiations.

Sanctions back on the table

But Trump’s tone was uncompromising. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey on his return to Washington, he said he was “very surprised” by the Russian escalation. “We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities.”

He also confirmed he is “absolutely” considering additional sanctions on Russia – a reversal of his earlier position that new penalties might derail fragile diplomatic progress. Kyiv has long urged the West to toughen sanctions to push Moscow toward serious negotiations.

Zelensky draws fire from trump

Trump’s message, however, was not reserved solely for the Kremlin. He also criticised Zelensky, suggesting the Ukrainian president’s rhetoric was undermining peace efforts. “President Zelenskyy is doing his country no favours by talking the way he does,” Trump wrote. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”

Zelensky has not directly responded to the remarks, but on Monday morning called for “real pressure” on Moscow to accept the ceasefire. “The world may go on vacation, but the war continues,” he said. “America’s silence, and the silence of others in the world, only encourages Putin.”

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Ukraine urges faster action

Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Zelensky, accused the Kremlin of stalling and urged Western allies to escalate pressure. “Right now, Moscow is stalling even the discussion of proposals — offering no specifics, only wasting time. The only way to make Moscow move faster is through sanctions and weapons,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

There had been a flicker of optimism earlier this month when Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met in person for the first time since the war’s early weeks. That optimism was quickly extinguished by renewed Russian strikes.

A modest breakthrough was achieved last week with a large prisoner exchange, in which 1,000 captives were released by both sides. But attention has now returned to the front, where fighting has intensified in recent weeks. Russia last month claimed to have recaptured parts of the strategic Kursk region – territory taken by Ukraine in last summer’s counteroffensive.

Despite the brutal turn in the conflict, Trump insists negotiations are still viable. “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire and, more importantly, an end to the war,” he said after his calls with both leaders. “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.”