WASHINGTON, May  27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump warned
Vladimir Putin Tuesday that he was "playing with fire," launching a fresh
broadside at his Russian counterpart over stalled Ukraine peace efforts.

Trump's latest comments came after he called the Kremlin leader "CRAZY"
over the weekend following a mass Russian air attack on Kyiv, and warned that
Moscow risked new sanctions.

"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," Trump said on his Truth Social network Tuesday.

"He's playing with fire!"

Trump did not specify what the "really bad" things were, or make any
specific threats.

But the Wall Street Journal and CNN both reported that Trump was now
considering fresh sanctions against Russia as early as this week, while
stressing that he could still change his mind.

Trump had told reporters on Sunday he was "absolutely" considering
increasing sanctions on Moscow.

The US president's recent rebukes mark a major change from his previous
attitude towards Putin, whom he often speaks of with admiration and has
previously held off criticizing.

Trump has however expressed increasing frustration with Moscow's position
in deadlocked truce negotiations with Kyiv.

That frustration boiled over at the weekend when Russia launched a record
drone barrage at Ukraine, killing at least 13 people.

"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 said in a Truth Social post on Sunday night.

Russia's attacks have continued despite a phone call between Trump and
Putin eight days ago in which the US leader said the Russian president had
agreed to "immediately" start ceasefire talks.

Moscow on Tuesday accused Kyiv of trying to "disrupt" peace efforts and
said its aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent days were a "response" to
escalating Ukrainian drone strikes on its own civilians.