Trump’s criticism of the Russian president raises the prospect that the temper has shifted in opposition to Putin within the U.S. administration, which initially took a extra sympathetic strategy to Moscow’s place within the struggle. Trump has repeatedly blamed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for beginning the battle and for prolonging it, though Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The weekend’s immense assault on Ukraine, only a week after Trump and Putin held a two-hour name to debate a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, seems to have escalated the American president’s ire.
“I’ve all the time had an excellent relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, however one thing has occurred to him,” Trump mentioned.
However whereas Trump’s submit harshly criticized Putin, he additionally once more took purpose at Zelenskyy, who has lengthy been the primary outlet for his frustration over the struggle. Trump mentioned Zelenskyy “is doing his Nation no favors by speaking the way in which he does. Every little thing out of his mouth causes issues, I don’t prefer it, and it higher cease.”
Earlier, the Ukrainian president had mentioned in a submit on X that “the world could go on a weekend break, however the struggle continues, no matter weekends and weekdays. This can’t be ignored. Silence of America, silence of others world wide solely encourage Putin.”
Trump, who pledged to finish the struggle in Ukraine in “24 hours” previous to being elected president, has struggled with that mammoth activity. Sunday’s submit follows repeated threats from the president and different administration officers to abandon ceasefire negotiations.
Trump appeared to dangle that prospect once more on Sunday, saying: “That is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s Conflict, not ‘Trump’s,’ I’m solely serving to to place out the large and ugly fires, which have been began by means of Gross Incompetence and Hatred.”
