Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Vladimir Putin, telling the Russian president he will “respond differently” if he does not engage seriously with peace talks
The former US president, clearly agitated, cautioned that Putin may be “tapping us along” while pursuing Moscow’s forceful military actions against Kyiv.
Trump’s latest tirade, reported by The Sun, came as the Kremlin leader intensified his insistence that Western powers must not interfere with Russia’s ex-Soviet territories and even demanded written assurances to stop NATO’s progression toward the east.
Putin is seemingly seeking a “written” commitment from Western officials ensuring that NATO won’t extend to include nations such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, shared leading Russian authorities who spoke with Reuters.
This insistence arises amidst mounting impatience from global leaders, with Trump at the helm, pushing for Putin to enter serious discussions.
In a White House briefing on Wednesday, Trump didn’t mince words, asserting: “We’re going to find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not, and if he is, we’ll respond a little differently,” reports the Express.
Despite recently having an extensive telephone conversation with Putin, Trump acknowledged his uncertainty about whether the Russian leader is earnestly seeking resolution.
His remarks followed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s announcement that Moscow suggested an additional peace dialogue with Ukraine, proposing June 2 in Istanbul as the date. Kyiv has not yet provided an answer to this proposition.
Trtump lashed out via his Truth Social platform (Image: Getty)
In the center of the current deadlock is Putin’s vehement resistance to the expansion of NATO, particularly the inclusion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has stood its ground, maintaining that Ukrainian NATO membership is a red line it is unwilling to cross.
Yet, Kyiv remains firm in its stance that Russia has no authority to meddle in its sovereign decisions, including its aspiration to join NATO.
Trump, never one to beat around the bush, intensified his censure of Putin earlier in the week. On his social platform, Truth Social, the outspoken former president delivered a stark caution to the Russian leader, indicating a dangerous game at play.
He posted: “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!”
Reacting to this, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Medvedev retorted by suggesting the only ‘REALLY BAD’ outcome to be wary of would be a global war. He commented: “Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire’ and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russia, I only know of one REALLY BAD thing: WWIII.”
During a comprehensive two-hour conversation, Putin is said to have informed Trump about an agreement to engage with Ukraine in drafting a memorandum. Following this, the Kremlin announced its own preparation of the document, highlighting that there is no set timeline for the completion of ceasefire conditions.
In the meantime, the conflict on the ground shows no signs of letting up. In a dramatic overnight operation, Ukraine executed a harsh retaliatory attack on Moscow in response to Russia’s three-day air raid.
Ukrainian forces aimed at crucial infrastructure in Moscow’s Zelenograd district, allegedly causing damage to an essential microchip facility. Explosions were also reported at a drone manufacturing plant and another defense installation in Dubna.
Both locations are thought to have suffered substantial damage, delivering a new setback to the Kremlin’s military operations. Russia’s defense ministry alleges that Ukraine launched nearly 300 drones overnight in this bold counterstrike. (The Mirror)