President Donald Trump sharply escalated his rhetoric against Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, calling him "absolutely CRAZY" following the deadliest Russian aerial assault of the war on Ukraine. Speaking to reporters and posting on Truth Social, Trump also floated the prospect of additional sanctions on Moscow and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he accused of aggravating the situation.
The attack, which Ukrainian officials described as the largest of the conflict to date, involved 355 drones and nine cruise missiles. "Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever," Trump wrote. "I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!"
Ukrainian officials said at least 12 people, including three children, were killed in the northern region of Zhytomyr. A 14-year-old boy was also injured in Odesa, and damage was reported in several western regions, according to local authorities. The Ukrainian air force confirmed strikes hit five locations.
The Kremlin responded dismissively to Trump's remarks. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday: "Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overstrain of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions." Peskov added, "We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process."
Trump, however, showed no sign of tempering his criticism. "I don't know what's wrong with him. What the hell happened to him? Right? He's killing a lot of people. I'm not happy about that," he said at an airport stop in Morristown, New Jersey. Despite a previously described "very well" phone call with Putin just a week earlier, Trump signaled a shift in tone, indicating a breakdown in expectations for diplomacy.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes were retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian targets. The Kremlin continues to frame the conflict as a "special military operation" to protect against NATO encroachment, while Ukraine and its allies maintain that Moscow launched an unprovoked war of aggression.
Zelensky, while not addressing Trump's attack directly, warned that Western inaction was emboldening Putin. "The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin. Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia," he said in a statement posted on X.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed the war would not have begun under his presidency, blamed Zelensky, Putin, and President Biden for the ongoing conflict. "Everything out of [Zelensky's] mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop," Trump wrote. "This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy's, Putin's, and Biden's War, not 'Trump's.' I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires."
The criticism comes amid reports of a large prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, involving 1,000 detainees from both sides. Despite the talks, Russian forces claimed to have captured three villages in recent offensives-claims that Kyiv has denied.
