The Kremlin has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a result of “emotional overload,” after Trump condemned Moscow’s latest wave of aerial assaults on Ukraine.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump reacted to the overnight bombardment that left at least 13 Ukrainians dead and dozens injured, branding Putin “absolutely crazy” and warning that “something has happened” to the Russian leader.
“Needlessly killing a lot of people,” Trump wrote, after Russia launched a staggering 367 drones and missiles — the most intense aerial attack since its invasion began in 2022.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the comments as emotionally charged. “These remarks are connected to an emotional overload of everyone involved,” he told Russian media.
The U.S. president’s comments came just hours after another round of strikes reportedly killed 10 more civilians as Russia unleashed 355 drones in a single night — the largest drone offensive to date, according to Ukraine’s air force.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attacks a political move, not a military necessity, and said Putin was “choosing war over life.”
Meanwhile, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said range limits on Western-supplied weapons had been lifted, meaning Ukraine could now legally strike military targets deep inside Russia. The announcement raises speculation that Berlin could soon approve long-requested Taurus missiles, which have a 500km range.
Trump, while warning Putin, also took a swing at Zelensky, accusing the Ukrainian leader of “causing problems” with his rhetoric. Trump warned that U.S. patience with Kyiv’s diplomatic posture may be running thin.
Despite the fiery exchange, both Washington and Moscow have confirmed ongoing backchannel ceasefire talks. Trump revealed he recently held a two-hour call with Putin and believes negotiations will soon begin, though Ukraine’s allies remain skeptical of Moscow’s intent.
Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory.
