Furious Trump lashes out at Putin over Ukraine talks: ‘He’s playing with fire!’

 

Tensions Escalate as Trump and Putin Clash Over Ukraine and NATO

In a rapidly intensifying geopolitical standoff, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are at odds over NATO expansion and the ongoing war in Ukraine, raising global concerns over potential conflict escalation.

Trump, expressing visible frustration, warned that Putin may be "stringing us along" while continuing Russia’s aggressive campaign in Ukraine. His comments followed renewed demands from the Kremlin for written assurances that NATO will not expand further into former Soviet territories, including Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.

According to The Sun, these demands were underscored by Putin’s insistence on formal guarantees, with top Russian officials telling Reuters that Moscow wants legally binding commitments from Western leaders.

Amid growing international unease, Trump has positioned himself as a vocal critic of Putin’s tactics. At a White House press briefing on Wednesday, the former president stated: “We're going to find out whether or not he's stringing us along, and if he is, we’ll respond a little differently.”

Despite a recent extended phone conversation with Putin, Trump admitted uncertainty about the Russian leader’s intentions, saying he still “can’t tell” if Putin genuinely wants peace.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Moscow’s proposal for a new round of peace talks with Ukraine, scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul. As of now, Kyiv has not responded to the offer.

At the core of the diplomatic impasse is Putin’s steadfast opposition to NATO expansion—particularly Ukraine’s potential membership. The Kremlin has reiterated its stance that such a move is entirely unacceptable. However, Ukrainian leaders maintain that decisions about alliances are a matter of national sovereignty and reject any external interference.

Trump intensified his rhetoric earlier this week with a forceful statement on Truth Social, warning Putin against further provocation. “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”

In response, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a stark warning, suggesting that the only "really bad" outcome to fear is global war. “Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russia, I only know of one REALLY BAD thing: World War III,” Medvedev said.

During their two-hour call, Putin reportedly told Trump he was open to collaborating with Ukraine on a draft peace memorandum. The Kremlin later confirmed it was preparing its version of the agreement, though no timeline has been set for finalizing ceasefire terms.

Meanwhile, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. In response to a recent three-day Russian aerial assault, Ukrainian forces launched a retaliatory strike on Moscow. The overnight operation reportedly targeted critical infrastructure in the Zelenograd district, damaging a microchip facility, a drone production plant, and another defense-related site in Dubna.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed nearly 300 drones were used in the Ukrainian counterattack, causing significant damage and further complicating the Kremlin’s military efforts.