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Donald Trump referred to as Russian President Vladimir Putin “loopy” in a robust rebuke of Moscow after a wave of aerial assaults on Ukraine.
The US president stated on Sunday night time that he was “not pleased with what Putin is doing” after Russia hit dozens of Ukrainian cities, shattering any hopes {that a} document prisoner trade accomplished on Sunday may result in a cessation of hostilities.
“He’s killing lots of people. I don’t know what the hell occurred to Putin,” Trump advised reporters. “We’re in the midst of speaking and he’s capturing rockets into Kyiv and different cities . . . I don’t prefer it in any respect.”
Later in a Fact Social publish, Trump repeated his criticism of Russia’s chief and stated if Putin tried to overcome all of Ukraine, it might result in “the downfall of Russia”.
“I’ve all the time had an excellent relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, however one thing has occurred to him. He has gone completely CRAZY!” Trump wrote.
“He’s needlessly killing lots of people, and I’m not simply speaking about troopers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no motive in anyway. I’ve all the time stated that he desires ALL of Ukraine, not only a piece of it, and perhaps that’s proving to be proper, but when he does, it is going to result in the downfall of Russia!”
Trump additionally hit out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “Every little thing out of his mouth causes issues, I don’t prefer it, and it higher cease,” he stated.
At the least 12 folks had been killed and dozens extra injured in Russia’s assault on Sunday, which the Ukrainian air pressure stated was the single-largest aerial assault of the warfare up to now — with Moscow launching 367 missiles and suicide drones. It got here after one other massive assault on Saturday.
Zelenskyy stated 30 cities and cities had been focused in 12 areas. He urged western allies to step up their strain on Moscow in response to the assault which he described as additional proof that Putin was not focused on peace.
“Putin should be compelled to suppose not about launching missiles, however about ending the warfare,” Zelenskyy stated. Every Russian air strike was “a enough motive for brand spanking new sanctions towards Russia”.
Putin has rejected US and European requires an instantaneous ceasefire. Thus far the one settlement Moscow has lived as much as is the 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of warfare exchanged over the weekend for 1,000 Russian POWs.
The swap, agreed in Istanbul earlier this month when Ukraine and Russia held their first direct talks in three years, started on Friday and was carried out over the course of three days. Zelenskyy stated Ukraine had returned 303 Ukrainian troopers on Sunday within the last handover.
Whereas the trade was welcomed by Kyiv and marked a uncommon second of co-operation with Moscow, Ukrainian officers stay sceptical of its broader significance.
Russian officers have in current days recommended that they may once more invade the Sumy and Kharkiv border areas in Ukraine’s north-east, whereas Putin stated his military was working to create a “buffer zone” in that space.
The Russian chief has additionally maintained his maximalist place with regard to peace talks, which Ukrainian officers say are an indication that he plans to proceed combating the biggest warfare on European soil in practically a century.
A doc drawn up by the Ukrainian president’s workplace titled “Proposed subsequent sanctions steps for the EU” and seen by the Monetary Occasions outlines dozens of entities and areas in Russia’s power and monetary sectors and navy industrial advanced that Kyiv desires to see focused by its European companions.
Some Ukrainian officers and western analysts have warned that Russia could put together a renewed large-scale aerial marketing campaign, timed to coincide with a potential new floor offensive.
A surge in Russian missile and drone assaults over the weekend might be the opening part of that broader technique, they stated.
Russia is now producing missiles and drones quicker than it makes use of, stockpiling reserves and ratcheting up strain on Ukraine’s stretched defences.
This uptick in Russian manufacturing means Ukraine will want additional western assist to maintain its defences — at a time when continued US backing is unsure and European provides unable to completely change American weaponry, notably air defences.
