MOSCOW/Kiev, May 28 (Reuters) – The US and Russia quarreled publicly on Wednesday after President Donald Trump warned that President Vladimir Putin was “playing on fire” and that Moscow had gathered 50,000 troops near the Ukrainian region.
While world leaders are fighting for a prospect of peace, Europe’s most deadly conflict since World War II is rapidly intensifying. A flock of drones are being launched by both sides while Russia advances along the front at key points.
In a post about the True Society, Trump said Putin was playing with fire, warning that if it wasn’t for Trump himself, “really bad” would have already happened to Russia.
“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it hadn’t been for me, a lot of bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean that it’s really bad. He’s playing with fire.”
Former President, Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev, has dismissed Trump’s criticism.
“About Putin’s Putin and Trump’s words about “really bad things” happening in Russia. I know that it’s really bad – World War II. I hope Trump understands this! ” Medvedev writes in English on social media platform X.
Trump envoy Keith Kellogg quoted Medvedev’s post on Wednesday, saying it was reckless.
“To steal the fear of World War II is a pity and reckless comment and is not worthy of the power of the world,” Kellogg said in X.
After talking to Trump for more than two hours on May 19, Putin said he agreed to work with Ukraine in a memorandum of understanding that outlines the peace deal, including the timing of the ceasefire.
Kellogg said Washington is waiting for a draft memorandum of understanding on the Russian peace agreement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the next talks with Ukraine will soon be announced.
Drone attack
Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
Russia currently controls less than a fifth of Ukraine. While Russia’s progress has accelerated over the past year, the war is heartfelt costs by both Russia and Ukraine in terms of casualties and military spending.
Russia said that while Russia had fired 88 drones and five ballistic missiles, it had defeated 13 Ukrainian drones overnight in 13 regions.
After Russia expelled Ukrainian troops from the western Kursk region, Moscow’s troops pushed across the border into the neighbouring Smie region in northeastern Ukraine, taking several villages there.
Ukrainian President Voldimia Zelensky said Russia had gathered 50,000 troops near the North Smie region, but added that Kiev had taken steps to prevent Moscow from carrying out a massive attack there.
Putin has repeatedly said he wants a “buffer zone” along Russia’s border with Ukraine.
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belusov said the US-led NATO military alliance has used the Ukraine crisis to build its presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea, but Russia is moving forward along the entire Ukrainian front.
(Reporting by ReuterSediting by Ros Russell)
