President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that his personal relationship with Vladimir Putin will allow him to reach the Russian president and bring peace to Ukraine.
But after Moscow escalated the strikes on Kiev during the weekend, Trump Putin wrote “very crazy!”
“I always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin from Russia, but there is something that happened to him,” Trump wrote on a social networking site on Sunday. By Tuesday, Trump warned Putin as “playing with fire.”
The comments are the clearest sign so far of Trump’s escalating frustration with Putin – but the question remains whether any punitive action will be taken against Russia or if it aims to let down.
When he was asked on Wednesday about the consequences that it would be if Russia continues its intense bonds on Ukraine, Trump deviated.
“Well, I will not tell you exactly. But the words speak loudly,” he said.
President Donald Trump takes questions from the press during a ceremony that divided the interim American lawyer for the Colombia Province, Janine Peru, at the White House in Washington, May 28, 2025.
Lea Milice/Reuters
On Sunday, Trump was asked whether he was considering imposing new sanctions on Russia. “Certainly.”
The Kremlin answered that Trump’s criticism of Putin was a “emotional reaction” and that he did not “fully understand” their military motives.
“It was Putin’s intention clear. He mentioned it over and over. “He is not a friend of the United States. This has been clear for a long time. He has been able to play and overcome President Trump all the time.”
“I think President Trump is aware of this reality,” Taylor told ABC News. “Putin is not his friend. Putin is attacking Ukraine in record numbers of missiles and drones immediately after talking to Trump. This is not a serious negotiation. Putin is clearly not interested in stopping this war.”
Trump continued to say on Wednesday that he was “disappointed” and “unhappy” with Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
“Trump’s comments will not necessarily affect the position taken by either side in these conversations: Ukrainians will transfer the maximum flexibility, while the Russians will stress the concessions they expect from Kiev. You can see the change in the American position towards new sanctions or new state aid,” Union.
President Donald Trump in Washington, May 12, 2025 and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Krasnodar region, Russia, May 19, 2025.
EPA-Enfe/Shutterstock
Trump promised to end the war on the first day in the office – a pledge later said it was excess.
He was severely scrutinized to submit public demands to Ukraine, including that he abandons the goal of NATO membership and may recognize some of the lands that Putin’s forces gained, while not doing the same with Russia.
A phone call between Trump and Putin last week did not result in major breakthroughs. Putin said he was ready to work on a “memorandum on a possible peace agreement in the future”, but he has not shown any signs of concessions.
Trump then said the direct conversations between Ukraine and Russia will start immediately and may be held in the Vatican. Russia later rejected the Vatican as a site.
Retired General Keith Kelog, Trump’s Special President of Trump to Ukraine, told Fox News this week that the new Ukraine talks can take place in Geneva-maybe Trump, Putin and Ukraine Voludimir Zelinski. On the “memo” mentioned by Putin, Kelog said that Ukraine gave its copy of the document and “now we need to get the same thing from Russia.”
“If this is necessary,” Trump said on Wednesday. When asked if he still believes Putin really wants to end the war, Trump has avoided.
“I cannot tell you that,” Trump said. “But I will tell you in about two weeks. Within two weeks. We will discover very soon. We will discover whether it clicks us or not. If so, we will respond slightly differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks.”
Trump made similar comments in April and wondering whether Putin was “clicking” on the United States, and he warned that they would take anything else if so, although anything has not changed significantly since then.
“The attempt to read Putin’s mind is a risky act, but it seems now that he believes that he can pretend to negotiate without limiting his military attacks and that Trump will stop new sanctions or new weapons,” said Sinstovic. “If Trump believes that Putin’s approach shows great lack of respect for him, he is right.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin is delivering a video letter to the old employees, warriors and civilian individuals in the service of the border guards of the Federal Security Service on the Kurdish border guards day in Moscow, Russia, May 28, 2025.
Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik via AP
Trump’s threat to the additional sanctions he had previously made, although he has not yet implemented it and has not joined European countries when they announced last week their sanctions package against Russia.
On Wednesday, Trump was asked what he was preventing him from imposing new sanctions.
“Only the fact that if I think I am about to get a deal, I don’t want to deal with it,” Trump told reporters.
There is increasing support for economic pressure on Russia among Republicans. In the Senate, a draft law from the Republican in South Carolina Lindsey Graham would impose sanctions on countries that buy Russian energy more than 80 participating sponsors.
“This is not the time for more” Vladimir’s stop “. This is not the time to worrying to collapse.” It is time now, if President Trump is serious, and I think he is serious about ending this war, it’s time now to take action. “
However, only last week, after talking to Putin, Trump floats that he may “retreat” completely from the conversations – and Putin and Zellinski leave it to sort things.
Analysts say such a step will be a victory for the Russian leader.
“However, I do not think that President Trump and the administration will walk because this was a top priority since before the elections and President Trump to throw his hands, and maintains mainly to President Putin, it will be a recognition of defeat and recognition of loss, and President Putin will give a great victory and will be a disgrace to President Trump,” said Taylor. “
