Trump Calls Out Putin, Questions If Russian Leader Wants Peace or Is Just Playing Games

Donald Trump is turning up the heat on Vladimir Putin, openly doubting whether the Russian president has any real interest in ending the bloody war in Ukraine.

Trump voiced his frustrations on Truth Social after a brutal Russian missile strike hit Kyiv this week, killing 12 and injuring at least 90—kids included. In his post, Trump didn't mince words, blasting Putin for targeting civilians and questioning if Russia is actually serious about peace. Meanwhile, the world is still waiting for any hint of a breakthrough in the seemingly never-ending conflict.

Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican during Pope Francis’ funeral, Trump wrote, "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days." Clearly, the former president isn’t buying the idea that Putin is acting in good faith. Trump speculated, "Maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!"

Despite Trump's continued claims on the campaign trail that he could end the war within 24 hours if he were president, peace still feels like a far-off dream. Trump described the killings as "worse than anything since World War II," which is a pretty bold comparison—though if there’s one thing Trump never shies away from, it’s dramatic statements.

On Thursday, Trump publicly pleaded with Putin to put a stop to the violence, saying, "I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal DONE." That’s the kind of direct diplomacy you don’t often see—though we all know that international conflicts rarely get solved through all-caps posts on social media.

The strike on Kyiv came just before U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow, and Trump had previously expressed hope over Easter that Ukraine and Russia might reach a deal soon—one that he said would allow "big business" with the U.S. to resume. Trump also finally met face-to-face with Zelenskyy in Rome, their first meeting since their infamous Oval Office clash in February. Unfortunately, officials on both sides kept the details of their discussion under wraps, with the White House only calling it a "very productive discussion."

Never one to miss a chance to assign blame, Trump also took shots at Joe Biden and Barack Obama, accusing Biden of letting the war unfold on his watch and Obama of allowing Russia to take Crimea. "This is Sleepy Joe Biden’s War, not mine," Trump declared. "It was a loser from day one, and should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened if I were President at the time. I’m just trying to clean up the mess that was left to me by Obama and Biden, and what a mess it is."