Trump Warns Putin He’s ‘Playing With Fire,’ Considers New Sanctions Amid Stalled Ukraine Peace Talks
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that only his leadership has kept Russia from facing devastating consequences amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”
Trump’s statement comes amid increasing frustrations with the slow pace of diplomatic negotiations and Russia’s aggressive advances across eastern Ukraine, where Moscow’s forces are gaining ground in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk.
Russian Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev fired back on Tuesday, responding, “I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!”
Despite earlier promises to end the war in 24 hours, Trump has yet to secure a ceasefire. Over the weekend, he expressed anger at both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, writing, “Putin has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people,” while also accusing Zelenskyy of squandering U.S. aid. In a May 17 Fox News interview, Trump said the Ukrainian leader had “pissed away” American support.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, reported that Russia launched its largest drone assault since the war began, using 355 Iranian-made Shahed drones and nine cruise missiles in one night. “Like any criminal, Russia can only be constrained by force,” he said.
According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Trump is now weighing a fresh round of sanctions against Moscow as the Kremlin resists renewed peace talks. “This war is Joe Biden’s fault,” said Trump’s White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, “and President Trump has been clear he wants to see a negotiated peace deal. He’s also smartly kept all options on the table.”
European allies have reportedly urged Trump to reconsider sanctions, citing past failures under the Biden administration. While some argue sanctions only pushed Russia closer to China and India, others believe stronger and more targeted economic measures could still exert pressure on Putin.
The conflict, now entering its fourth year, has killed tens of thousands and left frontlines largely unchanged since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Trump’s renewed threats and possible sanctions signal a shift from rhetorical pressure to more concrete action as diplomatic efforts remain deadlocked.
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