Russia Will Act to Ensure Its Security No Matter What Trump Says

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, warning that he was "playing with fire." The White House leader claimed that his election as president after his predecessor, Joe Biden, had saved Russia from some "really very bad things."  

“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 on Tuesday. “He’s playing with fire!”

Trump Begins Criticizing Putin’s Actions 

Recently, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with his counterpart’s actions over the past few days, suggesting that something had "happened" to Putin.  

He was particularly displeased with the strikes on Ukrainian territory—especially one of the largest attacks since the start of the conflict, reported on May 24. "We’re in the middle of negotiations, and he’s launching missiles," Trump remarked.  

However, the mentioned attack was likely a response to Kyiv’s own strikes on Russian territory. When asked whether there was a connection between the "change in Putin’s behavior" and the fact that Putin himself had been at the center of a Ukrainian drone attack in the Kursk region, Trump replied, "I don’t know. I haven’t heard about that."

Trump Considers Sanctions Against Russia

Later, it became known that Trump was considering imposing sanctions on Russia due to its president’s decisions. The goal would be to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire.  

Russian Federation Council Senator Andrey Klimov commented on the matter, noting that while the number of those seeking to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington is growing, the U.S. president remains open to dialogue.  

“Trump has already imposed sanctions on Russia before—this is nothing new. He signed a law authorizing sanctions against U.S. adversaries, so there’s no need for illusions here," Klimov said. He added that while Trump is taking steps to normalize relations, his approach differs significantly from his predecessors, who refused to engage with Russia.  

Could Trump Return to Biden’s Ukraine Policy?

Political analyst Stanislav Tkachenko suggested that Trump might revert to Biden’s approach on Ukraine, potentially making the U.S. a direct participant in the conflict again. However, despite his sharp rhetoric, the current U.S. president has not made critical decisions, such as providing free military aid to Kyiv.  

Russia Will Ensure Its Security Regardless of Trump’s Statements  

Russia will ensure its security regardless of U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements or negotiations on resolving the Ukraine conflict, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin.  

"Whether there’s a peace process or not, whether President Trump says something or not—Russia will ensure its security," the Kremlin representative stated.  

Mixed Signals on Sanctions 

On May 26, The New York Times reported that Trump stated he had no plans to increase sanctions pressure on Russia following his dialogue with President Vladimir Putin. Journalists noted that the U.S. leader clearly indicated his reluctance to impose new restrictive measures.  

However, on May 27, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was considering imposing sanctions on Russia this week. According to the outlet, the U.S. president is disappointed with Putin’s actions and the slow progress of peace talks.