Trump Blasts Putin as ‘Absolutely Crazy’ After Russia’s Largest Drone and Missile Barrage on Ukraine

US President Donald Trump has issued a harsh condemnation of Russian President Vladimir Putin following one of the most intense air assaults since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The coordinated overnight attacks, which involved over 300 drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian cities, resulted in dozens of deaths, occurring just days after reports surfaced that peace talks were imminent.

The strikes coincided with an ongoing prisoner exchange between the two countries, with both sides agreeing to release about 1,000 prisoners over three days. The last phase of the exchange was anticipated late on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed outrage: “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people and I don’t like it at all. We’re in the middle of talking and he’s sending rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don’t like it at all.”

He added, “I’m very surprised. We’ll see what we’re going to do…. I don’t like what Putin is doing… he’s killing people. Something happened to this guy and I don’t like it.”

On his Truth Social platform, Trump escalated his criticism, writing, “Putin has gone absolutely CRAZY! Missiles and drones are being shot into cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

The sustained Russian bombardment reportedly began Saturday night, hitting 30 cities and villages, and escalated on Sunday with a concentrated assault on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Russia asserted that it had made territorial gains by capturing three villages, but Ukrainian officials refuted those claims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed criticism of the global response, particularly singling out the United States.

“The silence of America, the silence of others in the world, only encourages Putin. Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia,” Zelensky said.

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that the United States might consider implementing a 500% tariff on Russian oil and gas should peace negotiations stall. However, he emphasized that the ultimate decision would lie with Trump if he were to return to office.

Trump, however, responded sharply to Zelensky’s remarks. “Everything out of [Zelensky’s] mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a war that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s war, not ‘Trump’s.’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires that have been started through gross incompetence and hatred,” he wrote.

Trump has consistently claimed that, if reelected, he would end the war in Ukraine on “day one” of his second term.