Trump slams 'crazy' Putin, as Denmark's PM says new attacks show Moscow not interested in peace
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "crazy" on Sunday (May 25) after Moscow launched a deadly barrage of drones against Ukraine, even as the warring countries completed a large-scale prisoner exchange.
At least 13 people were killed when Russia launched a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight to Sunday.
"I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
"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!" he added.
His comments marked a rare rebuke to Putin, whom he often speaks of with admiration. The US leader has, however, expressed increasing frustration with Moscow's position in deadlocked truce negotiations with Kyiv.
Earlier Sunday, Trump told reporters he was "not happy" about the latest attack on Ukraine and that he was "absolutely" considering increasing sanctions on Moscow.
"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," he said.
"TERROR"
Ukraine's emergency services described Sunday an atmosphere of "terror" in the country after a second straight night of massive Russian air strikes, including on the capital Kyiv.
Those killed in the latest Russian strikes included victims aged eight, 12 and 17 in the northwestern region of Zhytomyr, officials said.
"Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media.
"The silence of America, the silence of others around the world only encourages Putin," he said, adding: "Sanctions will certainly help."
In his social media post, Trump also criticised Zelenskyy, a frequent target of his ire, accusing him of "doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does".
"Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop," he said.
The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also called for "the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war".
DENMARK PM: MOSCOW NOT INTERESTED IN PEACE
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday (May 26) that the attacks on Ukraine over the weekend prove that Moscow is not interested in peace.
"During the day, Putin talks about negotiations, then he bombs Ukraine during the night," Frederiksen told reporters at a meeting of Nordic leaders in Finland.
Frederiksen said the Nordic leaders had agreed their countries would support Ukraine for as long as it takes, adding the support could mean military aid, investments in Ukraine's defence industry and cooperation with Ukrainian companies.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also denounced the attacks.
"Putin does not want peace, he wants to carry on the war, and we shouldn't allow him to do this," he said. "For this reason, we will approve further sanctions at a European level."
MAJOR PRISONER EXCHANGE
The massive strikes on Ukraine came as Russia said it had exchanged another 303 Ukrainian prisoners of war for the same number of Russian soldiers held by Kyiv - the last phase of a swap agreed during talks in Istanbul on May 16.
That marked their biggest prisoner swap since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with 1,000 captured soldiers and civilian prisoners in total sent back by each side.
Zelenskyy confirmed the swap was complete.
An AFP reporter saw some of the formerly captive Ukrainian soldiers arrive at a hospital in the northern Chernigiv region, emaciated but smiling and waving to crowds.
One former captive, 58-year-old Viktor Syvak, told AFP he was overcome by the emotional homecoming.
Captured in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, he had been held for 37 months and 12 days.
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