() — President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of “playing with fire” for refusing to fully engage in peace negotiations on a ceasefire deal in the war with Ukraine.
On social media Tuesday, Trump claimed his leadership has prevented “really bad things” from happening in Russia.
“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 said.
‘I only know of one REALLY BAD thing WWIII’: Russian security official
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chief of Russia’s security council, dismissed Trump’s remarks with an ominous response to Washington.
“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,” Medvedev wrote in response.
On Wednesday, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, called Medvedev’s statement “reckless.”
“Stoking fears of WW III is an unfortunate, reckless comment… and unfitting of a world power,” Kellogg said on social media.
Russia to announce next round of negotiations with Ukraine soon
Putin reportedly told Trump during a phone call last week that Russia was prepared to work with Ukraine on a draft memorandum outlining a ceasefire framework.
Kellogg said Washington is awaiting Russia’s draft of the agreement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the next round of talks would be announced soon.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering neutral venues such as Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland for peace negotiations, though no location has been finalized.
Ukrainian drones hit Russia overnight
Tensions continued to escalate on the ground Wednesday. Over the last three days, Russia has launched more than 900 drones into Ukrainian territory, according to estimates from officials in Kyiv.
In response, Ukraine returned fire with drone strikes at Russia overnight. The counterattacks followed Germany’s recent decision to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles.
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Relatives show photos of missing soldiers to POWs who came back from Russian captivity during an exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, in Chernyhiv on May 25. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) -
A rescue worker helps an injured elderly woman evacuated from a building which was heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Ukraine’s Sumy region on May 8. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) -
Emergency personnel work at the site of a residential building destroyed by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko) -
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, damaged private houses burn following Russia’s air raid in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) -
President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. -
FILE – President Donald Trump, right, meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit in Hamburg, July 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) -
In this photo, provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters extinguish fire following a Russian attack in Dnipro, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) -
Smoke rises from an explosion following a Russian drone strike on Sumy, Ukraine, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) -
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) -
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters inspects a burnt car with victims inside following Russia’s missile attack that killed at least 24 civilians in Sumy, Ukraine, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) -
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
More than 50,000 Ukrainian troops are now stationed near the border, signaling that an end to the fighting is not yet in sight.
As tensions rise, has confirmed Trump is weighing a potential response, including new sanctions against Russia. The White House told that sanctions remain very much on the table.
Over 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in prison since war with Russia started
According to the Associated Press, over 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in prison since the war with Russia began three years ago. It is likely that many of these deaths were caused by abuse happening inside these Russian prisons.
This is based on information from human rights groups, the U.N., the Ukrainian government and a Ukrainian medical examiner who performed dozens of autopsies on POWs. Officials from Ukraine said that the bodies are frequently mutilated and decomposed.
The Associated Press reported that Ukraine is planning to bring war crime charges against Russia at the International Criminal Court. Officials want to rely on the testimony of former POWs and evidence that was collected during the autopsies of repatriated bodies.
