Donald Trump shared strong reactions following Russia’s recent bombing campaign in Ukraine, making it clear that he believes President Vladimir Putin is no longer thinking clearly.
He explained through a message on Truth Social dated May 25 that Putin’s intentions have always included taking full control of Ukraine, not just occupying part of it. Trump stated that if Putin moves ahead with such a plan, it might bring serious trouble for Russia itself.
Though he said he had maintained a solid relationship with the Russian leader in the past, he now thinks something has changed in Putin’s behavior and described it as a complete loss of control.
Trump also spoke about the human cost of the attack, saying many lives are being taken unnecessarily. He emphasized that civilians, not just soldiers, are getting caught in these assaults. According to him, missiles and drones are hitting Ukrainian cities without any real justification.
Attack Details and Trump’s Ceasefire Push
Russian military forces reportedly launched a massive attack overnight using 367 drones and missiles. This strike, which included targets like Kyiv, is said to be the largest air raid since the war started. At least 12 people were confirmed dead, while many others were injured.
Trump has recently tried to get both Russia and Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire and held a more than two-hour discussion with Putin earlier this month about that effort.
On May 26, the Kremlin responded to Trump’s claim about Putin losing his mind. While disagreeing with Trump’s statement, they still acknowledged and appreciated his effort to promote peace talks in Ukraine.
Dmitry Peskov, who speaks for the Kremlin, expressed gratitude for Trump’s role in helping to organize the discussions around peace. He also mentioned that the current period is filled with strong emotions and reactions from everyone involved, which could be influencing how people are responding.
After Trump and Putin had a phone call on May 19, Trump stated that the process for peace talks would begin immediately. This came after Putin had refused to meet with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 15 for negotiations.
Criticism Directed at Zelenskyy
Trump didn’t hold back in pointing fingers at Zelenskyy, too. In the same May 25 message, he accused the Ukrainian president of making the conflict worse through his public statements. Trump said Zelenskyy’s way of speaking only causes more problems and warned that he should stop.
This isn’t the first time Trump has blamed Ukraine’s leader for the war. Back in February, he made similar comments and criticized Zelenskyy again after talks between their governments collapsed following disagreements.
During a conversation in April, Trump questioned Zelenskyy’s readiness for the war. He said the Ukrainian leader keeps asking for more weapons but hasn’t shown that he can win a fight against a much larger force.
Trump described it as poor judgment to go into war with a country far stronger in size and power while depending on outside help for missiles.
While speaking with reporters at an airport in Morristown, New Jersey, Trump mentioned that he was thinking about introducing new sanctions against Russia. He made that comment as a possible step in response to the continued violence.
