May 27, 2025 - World

Trump warns Putin he's "playing with fire"

Barak Ravid

Putin at podium with raised finger — Putin speaks in Astana in November. Photo: Ramil Sitdikov/AFP via Getty

President Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that he's "playing with fire" in Ukraine on Tuesday, the latest in a series of unusually sharp criticisms from Trump toward the Russian leader.

Why it matters: Trump has threatened sanctions or tariffs if Putin continues to bombard Ukrainian cities and reject his ceasefire push, but so far has refrained from taking any action.

What he's saying: "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!" Trump wrote.

Driving the news: Russia has significantly increased in recent days its missile and drone attacks against Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine.

The uptick followed a call between Trump and Putin last week, after which Putin again declined to order a ceasefire and European leaders unsuccessfully implored Trump to impose sanctions.
The White House said Putin committed to producing a "peace memo" laying out Russia's positions on a ceasefire and a broader peace deal, and to holding talks with Ukraine. Neither has happened so far.
On Sunday, after a fresh wave of Russian attacks, Trump wrote that Putin "has gone absolutely CRAZY!" The Kremlin dismissed his criticism as "emotional overload."

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Trump warns Putin he's "playing with fire"

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