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US President Donald Trump has strongly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin following Moscow’s most devastating aerial assault on Ukraine to date. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, Trump expressed his alarm, saying, “What the hell happened to him? He’s killing a lot of people,” later describing Putin as “absolutely crazy.”
The comments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Washington of remaining silent amid escalating Russian attacks, and called for tougher sanctions and increased diplomatic pressure on Moscow.
In the latest wave of attacks, air raid sirens were triggered across multiple regions of Ukraine, with the northeastern city of Kharkiv reporting injuries to at least three people, including a child.
Trump, known for his past cordial relations with Putin, admitted his frustration: “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.” When asked about the possibility of tougher US sanctions, he confirmed: “Absolutely.” However, his administration has yet to implement any new measures against Russia.
In a follow-up Truth Social post, Trump reiterated that Putin “has gone absolutely crazy,” warning that Russia’s ambition to seize all of Ukraine could lead to its own downfall.
Interestingly, Trump also took aim at Ukrainian leader Zelensky, criticizing his public statements as unhelpful and urging him to “stop causing problems.”
Despite calls for harsher measures from Europe, Washington is reportedly weighing whether to continue pursuing a peace deal or abandon negotiations altogether. Trump recently held a two-hour phone call with Putin to discuss a US-proposed ceasefire, which he claimed went “very well,” with both sides supposedly agreeing to begin negotiations.
However, while Ukraine has signaled readiness for a 30-day ceasefire, Russia has only committed to drafting a “memorandum” on a potential future peace, a move many see as stalling. Direct talks between Ukraine and Russia resumed on 16 May in Istanbul, but progress has been minimal. Currently, Russia occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
