U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that Vladimir Putin is “playing with fire” by refusing to engage in ceasefire talks with Ukraine, as Russian forces make new territorial gains in the country’s northeast.
The comment followed intensified Russian attacks and growing concern in Washington over stalled peace efforts.
“What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He did not elaborate.
Trump’s post followed a series of deadly Russian drone and missile strikes in Ukraine—some of the most intense since the war began over three years ago—and came as frustration mounts over Moscow’s lack of progress on peace negotiations.
Russian Security Council official Dmitry Medvedev hit back online, writing: “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. I hope Trump understands this!”
Despite his past efforts to maintain strong ties with Putin, Trump has increasingly criticized the Kremlin’s actions. On Sunday, he said Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY” following a massive aerial assault on Ukraine.
Putin had previously said after a call with Trump that Moscow was willing to work with Ukraine on a draft memorandum outlining a path to peace. That document is still in the works, according to the Kremlin. Kyiv and its Western allies continue to call for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days.
U.S. envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said Tuesday that Russia had promised to deliver a peace proposal, which would then be compared with Ukraine’s existing submission to identify common ground. Once Moscow sends over the memorandum, the next round of peace talks is expected to take place in Geneva.
Meanwhile, Russia is advancing on the battlefield. Ukrainian officials confirmed that four villages in the Sumy region—Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka and Zhuravka—had been captured by Russian troops. The region’s governor said the areas had already been evacuated, but the gains mark a worrying development as Moscow pushes closer to the border city of Sumy.
Russia’s Defence Ministry also claimed it had taken the nearby village of Bilovody. Officials in Kyiv say Russian troops, using motorcycles and drones, are widening their assaults along the northern front as they seek to establish a buffer zone—a concept Putin has publicly supported in recent months.
Ukrainian forces previously used the Sumy region to push into Russia’s Kursk area, but were largely driven back by April. Now, Russian attacks in Sumy have escalated alongside renewed offensives in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, stretching Ukraine’s defense lines.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Monday that Russia is preparing further offensives and remains committed to prolonging the war. Despite repeated calls from Kyiv, Trump has yet to impose new sanctions on Russia, though officials say a fresh package is ready if needed.
As fighting continues and diplomacy stalls, pressure is building on all sides to restart meaningful talks and prevent further escalation.
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