Washington, 26 May 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump sharply criticized escalating Russian attacks on Ukraine on Sunday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone "crazy" and threatening further sanctions.

Trump told reporters he was "not happy with what Putin is doing," and replied "absolutely" when asked if he was considering further sanctions on Russia.

"He's killing a lot of people and I don't know what the hell happened to Putin," Trump said.

"I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people and I don't like it at all," he said.

"We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities. I don't like it at all. And I'm surprised. I'm very surprised."

He followed up his comments with a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

"I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" Trump wrote.

"I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!"

Trump added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "doing his country no favors by talking the way he does."

"Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President," he wrote.

"I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred."

Trump, who has long seen himself as a dealmaker, had said that he would end the war even before he took office, which was nearly four months ago.

Russia has been waging a full-scale war against Ukraine for more than three years.

Russia launched some 300 drone attacks and some 70 strikes with missiles and cruise missiles on Ukraine during Saturday night, Zelensky said.

Those figures would make it the worst drone attacks since the war began in 2022. Authorities said at least 12 people were killed in different parts of the country and dozens more were injured.

Trump's comments came as US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg also spoke out about the large-scale attacks on Ukraine.

"The indiscriminate killing of women and children at night in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to protect innocents. These attacks are shameful," Kellogg wrote on X without directly naming Russia.

"Stop the killing. Ceasefire now," Kellogg said.

Photo: Screenshot