'Playing with fire': Trump warns Putin amid escalating Ukraine conflict
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Washington: US President Donald Trump cautioned Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he is "playing with fire" as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues without a resolution.
"What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize 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 wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.
Trump on Sunday made harsh remarks on both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Xinhua news agency reported.
"I'm not happy with what Putin's doing," Trump told reporters before he took Air Force One from Morristown, New Jersey back to Washington.
"I don't know what the hell happened to Putin," he said.
Later on Sunday evening, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that Putin "has gone absolutely CRAZY!"
He then turned to Zelensky, saying he was doing his country "no favors by talking the way he does," a reference to statements Zelensky made earlier on Sunday criticising US silence on the latest Russian attacks.
The Trump administration has repeatedly signalled its frustration with stalled ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, warning that it may abandon the talks altogether.
Responding to Trump's escalating criticism, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev took to social media on Tuesday, stating, “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.”
(inputs from IANS)
