In a striking departure from his usual rhetoric, U.S. President Donald Trump has lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemning the Kremlin’s latest barrage of drone and missile strikes on Ukraine, the deadliest to date.
“What the hell happened to him? He’s killing a lot of people,” Trump said, visibly agitated. “I’m not happy with Putin. He’s absolutely crazy.”
The sharp rebuke comes amid a wave of devastation in Ukraine. Between Sunday night and Monday morning, Moscow launched 355 drones and 9 cruise missiles in what Ukrainian officials have called the largest aerial assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Air raid sirens howled across Ukraine’s war-weary cities. In Kharkiv, a child was among three injured. Two others were wounded in the Zaporizhzhia region. By morning, at least 12 civilians had been killed and dozens more injured, as the nation’s air defenses struggled to repel the onslaught.
President Volodymyr Zelensky did not mince words, blaming the West — particularly the United States — for what he described as “strategic silence.” He urged Washington to exert maximum pressure on Moscow, warning that inaction only emboldens Putin’s brutality.
In a move that surprised even some of his closest allies, Trump echoed that concern, expressing disdain for the Russian leader he once called “smart.”
As international condemnation mounts and Zelensky pleads for tighter sanctions and more robust military aid, Trump’s comments have added new fuel to the geopolitical firestorm — and potentially reshaped the GOP front-runner’s foreign policy posture as the 2024 race heats up.
While Trump’s statement may not signal a full pivot, it reveals a growing discontent with Putin’s escalations, and perhaps, a recognition that the cost of silence is becoming too high — even for him.
