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Donald Trump referred to as Russian President Vladimir Putin “loopy” in a powerful rebuke of Moscow after a wave of aerial assaults on Ukraine.
The US president mentioned on Sunday night time that he was “not proud of what Putin is doing” after Russia hit dozens of Ukrainian cities, shattering any hopes {that a} report 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 put up, Trump repeated his criticism of Russia’s chief and mentioned if Putin tried to beat all of Ukraine, it will 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 cause by any means. I’ve all the time mentioned that he desires ALL of Ukraine, not only a piece of it, and possibly that’s proving to be proper, but when he does, it should result in the downfall of Russia!”
Trump additionally hit out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “Every part out of his mouth causes issues, I don’t prefer it, and it higher cease,” he mentioned.
At the very least 12 folks had been killed and dozens extra injured in Russia’s assault on Sunday, which the Ukrainian air drive mentioned was the single-largest aerial assault of the struggle to this point — with Moscow launching 367 missiles and suicide drones. It got here after one other giant assault on Saturday.
Zelenskyy mentioned 30 cities and cities had been focused in 12 areas. He urged western allies to step up their stress on Moscow in response to the assault which he described as additional proof that Putin was not considering peace.
“Putin should be pressured to assume not about launching missiles, however about ending the struggle,” Zelenskyy mentioned. Every Russian air strike was “a ample cause for brand new sanctions in opposition to Russia”.
Putin has rejected US and European requires a direct ceasefire. To this point the one settlement Moscow has lived as much as is the 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of struggle 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 mentioned Ukraine had returned 303 Ukrainian troopers on Sunday within the closing 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 latest days steered that they might once more invade the Sumy and Kharkiv border areas in Ukraine’s north-east, whereas Putin mentioned 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 preventing the biggest struggle 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 Instances outlines dozens of entities and areas in Russia’s vitality and monetary sectors and army industrial complicated 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 may very well be the opening section of that broader technique, they mentioned.
Russia is now producing missiles and drones sooner than it makes use of, stockpiling reserves and ratcheting up stress 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 totally substitute American weaponry, notably air defences.
