Russia Ukraine war latest: Trump warns Putin he is ‘playing with fire’ after largest drone attack since war began

As Washington settled in for a sometimes sleepy Memorial Day following the passage of Donald Trump’s “huge, stunning invoice” within the Home, the president fired off considered one of his trademark livid rants on Reality Social, however the goal was a shock.

This time, the goal wasn’t any of his home political foes — just like the Democrats who voted in lockstep towards the finances package deal he endorsed, or the handful of Republicans who refused to fall into line. It wasn’t even aimed on the varied legislation enforcement figures who’ve tried to carry him to account over time.

Sunday night’s rant was aimed squarely at Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite what he called a “very good relationship” with Putin, Trump in his latest statement on the Ukraine-Russia warfare blasted the Russian chief as “completely loopy.”

US president Donald Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg has scolded a prime Russian official for stoking fears of a Third World Struggle.

Mr Trump took to Reality Social and mentioned Vladimir Putin was “enjoying with fireplace” and cautioned that “REALLY BAD” issues would have occurred already to Russia if it was not for Mr Trump himself.

“What Vladimir Putin does not realise is that if it weren’t for me, a number of actually dangerous issues would have already occurred in Russia, and I imply REALLY BAD. He is enjoying with fireplace,” Mr Trump mentioned in a Reality Social put up yesterday.

Responding to Mr Trump, prime Russian safety official Dmitry Medvedev mentioned: “Relating to Trump’s phrases about Putin ‘enjoying with fireplace’ and ‘actually dangerous issues’ occurring to Russia. I solely know of 1 REALLY BAD factor – WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!” Mr Medvedev wrote in a put up on X.

US envoy Keith Kellogg quoted Mr Medvedev’s put up and referred to as it reckless.

“Stoking fears of WW III is an unlucky, reckless remark… and unfitting of a world energy,” Mr Kellogg mentioned on X.

“President Trump @POTUS is working to cease this warfare and finish the killing. We await receipt of RU Memorandum (Time period Sheet) that you simply promised per week in the past. Stop fireplace now,” he mentioned.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is predicted to reach in Berlin at the moment for talks with German chancellor Friedrich Merz.

In line with a press release, Mr Merz will obtain Mr Zelensky with navy honours on the Federal Chancellery at midday (10am GMT).

The newly-inducted German chancellor has ramped up the nation’s efforts to assist Ukraine battle again towards Russian aggression, aligning his efforts with these of the British and the French governments.

On Monday, Mr Merz mentioned his nation and different main allies are now not imposing any vary restrictions on weapons provided to Ukraine because it fights the Russian invasion.

It was unclear whether or not this represented a change in coverage.

Germany has been the second-biggest provider of navy help to Ukraine after america because the full-scale warfare started in February 2022.

Russia ought to focus much less on president Donald Trump’s social media posts and extra on ending its warfare towards Ukraine, US state division spokesperson Tammy Bruce mentioned final night time.

“If the Russians cared in regards to the nature of how [peace efforts are] continuing, they’d be pondering much less about [the president’s statements] and extra about what they may do – which is of their fingers – to cease the carnage and the slaughter that’s occurring proper now,” Ms Bruce mentioned in a press briefing.

The remarks from the US state division come shortly after the Kremlin blamed Mr Trump’s latest remarks on Vladimir Putin on “emotional overload”.

Mr Trump mentioned the Russian president had gone “completely loopy” after the weekend bombardment of Ukraine that killed at the very least 12 folks.

“We will see from the knowledge obtained by intelligence and from open-source knowledge that Vladimir Putin and his entourage don’t plan to finish the warfare,” the Ukrainian president mentioned in his nightly tackle on Monday.

“There’s presently no indication that they’re critically contemplating peace or diplomacy. Quite the opposite, there may be ample proof that they’re getting ready new offensive operations.”

Russian troops have elevated their assaults in Ukraine’s japanese Donetsk area in latest weeks, focusing on an space 30 miles lengthy between the 2 cities of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, analysts monitoring the entrance line have instructed The Impartial.

Russian bots are piling on president Donald Trump, and calling him a “clown,” after he publicly criticised Russian president Vladimir Putin over the warfare in Ukraine.

The professional-government accounts have accused Trump of getting dementia, Newsweek reported, citing investigative Russian information outlet Agentstvo.

The warfare in Ukraine is predicted to persist on account of Russia’s reluctance to enter negotiations, Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned.

“Wars sometimes finish due to financial or navy exhaustion on one aspect or on either side and on this warfare we’re clearly nonetheless removed from reaching that (scenario)”, Mr Merz mentioned at a joint press convention with Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo in Turku.

“So we might have to organize for an extended period,” Mr Merz added.

The U.S. president additionally steered Russia has averted “actually dangerous issues” — because of him.

“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t understand is that if it weren’t for me, a number of actually dangerous issues would have already occurred to Russia, and I imply REALLY BAD,” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform on Tuesday.

“He’s enjoying with fireplace!”

Russia’s international ministry has accused Finland of escalating tensions by finishing up pre-organised naval drills, per week after two of Moscow’s fighter jets reportedly violated Finnish airspace.

Maria Zakharova, Russia’s international ministry spokesperson, claimed Finland’s present naval operations have been “changing into a device of Nato escalation close to Russia’s border”. It isn’t uncommon for Moscow to make baseless claims like this.

She was referring to Finland’s Train Slender Waters 25, the nation’s annual spring train. It was previously a nationwide train however has been developed into a world train to incorporate Sweden, Germany and Estonia, following Finland’s accession to Nato and the renewed menace posed by Russia.

Russia is concurrently conducting naval workouts close to the exclave of Kaliningrad additional south.

Final week, Finland summoned the Russian ambassador after Kremlin warplanes have been reported to have crossed into Finnish airspace. It has additionally been reported that Russia is constructing a navy presence on Finland’s border.

Russia has elevated its assaults on Ukraine prior to now week to weaken Kyiv and “undermine” Western assist for the war-hit nation, a think-tank has mentioned.

“Russian forces carried out considered one of their largest drone and missile strikes of the warfare towards Ukraine on the night time of 25 to 26 Might after three nights of report strikes,” the Institute for the Examine of Struggle mentioned.

“The 25-26 Might strike is now the second largest mixed strike of the warfare after Russian forces carried out the most important mixed strike on the night time of 24-25 Might,” it added.

Russia is “could also be growing strikes towards Ukraine as a part of a cognitive warfare effort to weaken Ukrainian resolve and undermine Western assist for Ukraine,” the ISW said.