Shortly before departing from his New Jersey golf club to Washington, President Trump expressed confusion over Vladimir Putin’s recent behavior, stating, “I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin.” Later that day, he took to social media to declare that the Russian president “has gone absolutely CRAZY.”
This rare public rebuke followed a weekend marked by the most intense bombardment of Ukrainian cities in three years, with attacks targeting civilian areas ranging from residential neighborhoods in Kyiv to university dormitories. These assaults came mere days after President Trump described a two-hour phone conversation with Putin as “excellent,” promising it would lead to immediate peace talks.
Despite his longstanding claims of maintaining a “good relationship” with Putin, Trump has previously expressed shock at the Russian military’s strikes on Ukrainian civilians. A month earlier, he pleaded “Vladimir, STOP” amid missile and drone attacks on crowded playgrounds. However, he has consistently declined to join European nations in imposing new financial sanctions on Russia or to provide additional military aid to Ukraine.
This stance has created a strategic gap where Trump vocally condemns Russia’s deadly actions but stops short of imposing any tangible consequences on Putin.
Observers and former officials note a recurring pattern: Trump signals a desire to disengage from what he refers to as Europe’s conflict, expresses surprise when Putin responds with demands for Ukrainian capitulation, and then witnesses an escalation in attacks. While Trump occasionally mentions considering sanctions, including as recently as Sunday, no definitive measures have been taken.
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!