President Trump expresses bewilderment at the recent actions of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and claims that he has become extremely erratic in his oppression of Ukraine. The President has long maintained favorable ties with Russia and its President. As he boarded Air Force One from his New Jersey based golf club for a swift journey to Washington, President Trump shared his thoughts with a few journalists on Sunday afternoon, dubbing the conduct of the Russian President as ‘absolutely CRAZY.’
A few hours following this exchange, the President took to social media, elaborating his sentiments about Putin’s outrageousness – ‘He has gone absolutely CRAZY,’ he stated clearly. This unusual outburst from Mr. Trump towards Putin came in the wake of the most severe bombardments in Ukraine over the past three years, with civilian areas and university housing forming the main targets.
These unusual and unwarranted Russian aggressions came shortly after Mr. Trump held what he declared to the public to be an ‘excellent’ two-hour long conversation with Putin, a dialogue he had assured would pave the way for direct peace discussions. The President has long cherished a ‘good relationship’ with the Russian president, expressing perplexity at the apparent abandon with which Putin was assaulting Ukrainian civilians.
Only a month before, when a similar assault on Ukrainian civilians was witnessed, including missile attacks on bustling playgrounds, Mr. Trump put out a clear message to the Russian leader – ‘Vladimir, STOP!’ in an obvious display of shock and disapproval of the disturbing turn of events.
However, it should be noted that Mr. Trump, in his wisdom, has made the careful decision not to link these attacks to any potential joint financial sanctions with European nations against Russia, and has refrained from offering the Ukrainians additional arms and support. The decision to act cautiously on this issue has left a strategic void in which the President has been vocal about Russia’s continued antagonism but has thus far remained conscious of the need to avoid unnecessary escalation
Observers and previous government officials comment that this pattern is familiar, and is part of Trump’s overarching strategy. The President indicates withdrawal from a conflict often classified as Europe’s responsibility, then expresses surprise at Putin’s aggressive actions, demanding a series of concessions that amount to a Ukrainian surrender, only to be responded with increased attacks.
Even under these circumstances, Mr. Trump occasionally reiterates that he is ‘absolutely’ contemplating punitive measures. This statement was made again on Sunday, indicating that President Trump is not shying away from considering steps to address this issue while always ensuring that his actions neither escalate the situation nor bear any negative impact on his relations with Putin.