Reuters
US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the largest aerial assault on Ukraine by Moscow to date.
In an unusual critique, Trump remarked, "What on earth has happened to him? He’s taking many lives." He subsequently described Putin as "completely insane."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that Washington's "inactivity" regarding recent Russian strikes was empowering Putin, appealing for "strong pressure" - which includes stricter sanctions - against Moscow.
At least a dozen individuals lost their lives and many more were injured in Ukraine during the night from Sunday, as Russia launched 367 drones and missiles - the most significant number in a single night since Putin initiated a full-scale invasion in 2022.
Air raid sirens alerting residents of incoming drones and missiles activated once more in various parts of Ukraine early Monday morning.
According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, at least three individuals, including a child, sustained injuries in the northeastern city of Kharkiv.
During a press conference in New Jersey on Sunday night, Trump commented on Putin, saying, "I've known him for a long time and we've always had a good relationship, but he's launching rockets into urban areas and causing fatalities, which I strongly disapprove of."
When asked if he was contemplating the possibility of tightening US sanctions against Russia, Trump responded, "Absolutely." The US president has made similar threats in the past but has yet to apply any new restrictions on Moscow.
Shortly after, Trump posted on Truth Social that Putin "has truly gone off the rails."
"I've consistently asserted that he aims to conquer all of Ukraine, not just a portion of it, and perhaps that assertion is proving accurate, but if it turns out to be true, it will result in Russia's downfall!"
However, the US president was also critical of Zelensky, stating that he "is not benefiting his country by addressing matters in the way he does."
"Everything he says creates issues, which I find unacceptable, and it must cease," Trump remarked regarding Zelensky.
Despite the preparations of Kyiv's European partners for additional sanctions against Russia, the United States has indicated that it will either persist in efforts to facilitate peace talks or "walk away" if no advancement occurs.
Last week, Trump and Putin engaged in a two-hour phone conversation to talk about a ceasefire proposal from the US aimed at stopping the conflict.
The US president expressed that he felt the call had gone "very well", noting that Russia and Ukraine would "immediately begin" negotiations for a ceasefire and "an end to the war".
Ukraine has publicly accepted a ceasefire lasting 30 days.
Putin has merely stated that Russia will collaborate with Ukraine to develop a "memorandum" regarding a "potential future peace" - a gesture criticized by Kyiv and its European allies as a method of stalling.
The first direct discussions between Ukrainian and Russian representatives since 2022 took place on May 16 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Apart from a significant exchange of prisoners of war last week, there has been minimal or no progress towards achieving a halt in the fighting.
Currently, Russia occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian land, which includes Crimea - the southern peninsula of Ukraine annexed by Moscow in 2014.
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