Trump Warns Putin Is ‘Playing with Fire’ Amid Russian Gains in Northeastern Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, declaring that the Kremlin leader is “playing with fire” as Moscow intensifies its offensive in northeastern Ukraine. The statement marks Trump's second public criticism of Putin this week, signaling a shift in tone from a leader long known for his diplomatic overtures toward Russia.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Reuters.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Putin of ignoring ceasefire efforts while launching some of the deadliest drone and missile strikes seen since the war began in 2022. “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia. And I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire,” Trump wrote, without elaborating on what those consequences might be.
The comments come amid significant battlefield developments. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that Russian forces had seized four villages – Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka, and Zhuravka in Ukraine’s Sumy region, near the Russian border. Although the civilian population had largely been evacuated beforehand, the loss marks a tactical setback.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, former Russian president and current security official Dmitry Medvedev took to social media platform X, stating: “I only know of one REALLY BAD thing – WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!”
Trump's administration has so far refrained from enacting a new sanctions package against Russia, although U.S. officials say a set of punitive measures is ready should the President decide to deploy them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to press Washington for increased military aid.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the capture of another village, Bilovody, indicating continued momentum in the Sumy offensive. Ukrainian forces have described Russian troops employing small, mobile units, sometimes on motorcycles, and drone support to expand territorial control and establish what Moscow calls a “buffer zone.”
President Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia is planning further offensives not only in Sumy but also in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. “There is much evidence that they are preparing new offensive operations. Russia is counting on further war,” he said on Monday.
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