US President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a sharp rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s escalating military offensive in northeastern Ukraine, accusing him of “playing with fire” by rejecting ceasefire negotiations amid intensifying violence.
Trump’s latest warning came as Russian forces launched some of the war’s most lethal drone and missile strikes to date, striking Ukrainian cities and infrastructure while making gains along the Kharkiv front.
“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire,” Trump said in a fiery post on Truth Social.
The president, who has boasted of his personal rapport with Putin, appeared visibly frustrated by Moscow’s refusal to commit to a ceasefire, despite growing international calls for a 30-day halt in hostilities.
Just days earlier, Trump had slammed Putin for escalating the conflict, writing:
“Putin has gone absolutely CRAZY,” in response to a massive aerial assault that rocked Ukrainian cities.
Responding to Trump’s post, top Russian security official and former president Dmitry Medvedev issued a chilling counterpoint on social media.
“Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire’ and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!” Medvedev wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The rhetoric marked a sharp shift in tone for Trump, who last week held a two-hour phone call with Putin to discuss the possibility of a future peace accord. Following the conversation, Putin publicly stated that Russia was willing to work on a memorandum defining terms for a potential ceasefire. However, no concrete progress has been made since.
Ukraine, backed by its European allies and the US, continues to push for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The Kremlin, meanwhile, maintains it is still “working on” the peace document, without offering a timeline.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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