'What the hell happened to Putin?': Trump fumes after Russia's deadliest airstrike on Ukraine

A day after Russia launched its deadliest airstrike on Ukraine since the war began, the US President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the latest escalation could be a step toward “Russia’s downfall.”

“If he wants all of Ukraine, it’ll lead to Russia’s downfall,” Trump warned on Sunday, speaking to reporters at the Morristown airport in New Jersey. The unusually harsh criticism comes after Trump had maintained a measured stance on Putin in recent months.

“I’m not happy with Putin,” he said bluntly.

Trump added, “He’s killing a lot of people. And I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin! I’ve known him a long time. Always gotten along with him. But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people. And I don’t like it at all.”

He continued, “We’re in the middle of talking and he’s shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities! I don’t like it at all. I don’t like what Putin is doing, not even a little bit. He’s killing people. And something happened to this guy, and I don’t like it.”

The statements came in response to Russia’s massive overnight air assault, where it launched 367 drones and missiles across Ukraine, hitting Kyiv and dozens of other areas. At least 12 people were killed, while Ukraine’s military claimed to have intercepted 45 missiles and destroyed 266 drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 30 cities and villages were affected.

On Truth Social, Trump noted that while he had a “good relationship” with Putin in the past, the Russian leader has now “gone crazy.”

Zelenskyy, frustrated by what he sees as an inadequate international response, directly criticised the United States. “America’s silence, and the silence of others in the world, only encourages Putin,” he said, warning that the war won’t stop unless there’s stronger global pressure.

“The world may go on vacation, but the war continues, despite weekends and weekdays,” Zelenskyy added.

Trump, who recently attempted to broker a ceasefire, confirmed he had spoken with both Putin and Zelenskyy last week. His conversation with Putin lasted over two hours. However, peace efforts suffered a blow when Putin failed to appear for a planned negotiation in Turkey. Instead of scaling back, Russia ramped up its military aggression.