U.S. and Russia clash in public as the Ukraine war heats up

The war in Ukraine is heating up again, and tensions between the U.S. and Russia are rising. President Donald Trump warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “playing with fire” as Russia massed 50,000 troops near Ukraine’s Sumy region.

Trump said that if it weren’t for him, much worse things might have already happened in Russia.

Russia fired back, saying Trump doesn’t fully understand what’s happening in Ukraine. While Putin’s team thanked Trump for trying to help find a peaceful solution, they also stressed that Russia’s national interests come first.

Despite the public quarrel, both sides have indicated ongoing talks. Putin recently spoke with Trump and said they were working on a draft for a possible peace deal, including when a ceasefire could happen. Russia also said it’s preparing for more talks with Ukraine and continuing dialogue with the U.S.

Meanwhile, fighting on the ground is intensifying. Russia claimed to have shot down nearly 300 Ukrainian drones, while Ukraine reported heavy attacks from Russian drones and missiles. Russian troops have recently pushed into Ukraine’s Sumy region after capturing territory in nearby Kursk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is preparing to defend itself against a larger Russian offensive in the north. While in Berlin, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine and Germany would begin producing long-range missiles together, something Russia criticized as fueling the war.

Russia’s defense minister accused NATO of using the Ukraine conflict to build up its military in Eastern Europe. The war, which began in full in 2022, has dragged on with heavy losses on both sides and no clear end in sight.

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