[By Guancha Observer Network, Chen Sijia] On May 27 local time, US President Trump posted again on social media to criticize Russian President Putin. He claimed: "Putin doesn't realize that if not for me, many very bad things would have happened in Russia, and by very bad I mean extremely bad... He is playing with fire!" He did not specify what the "bad things" were or propose any specific threats.
According to reports from Russia's TASS News Agency, regarding Trump's remarks, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov responded on the 28th, saying that the Russian side attaches great importance to Trump's mediation initiative but will not sacrifice its national interests in peace talks.
Peskov said: "Obviously, the U.S. has made great efforts to peacefully resolve the crisis, and President Trump also hopes to achieve reconciliation as soon as possible. We thank President Trump personally for his efforts."
Peskov stated that the Russian side values Trump's mediation initiative, but any negotiations and discussions involve many complex issues, and the Russian side cannot make concessions. He emphasized: "Like the United States, Russia also has its own national interests, and these interests are first and foremost for the entire country and for President Putin."
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Medvedev responded on the social platform "Telegram" on the 27th, warning: "Regarding Trump's comments about Putin 'playing with fire' and that 'many very bad things would have happened in Russia,' I only know one truly bad thing—World War III. I hope Trump can understand this."
US officials attempted to "cool down" Trump's remarks. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruess emphasized on the 27th that Trump's remarks should not be seen as a sign of his "disappointment," but rather as an expression of his personal views. Bruess stated that the US still advocates direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, and the Trump administration possesses "multiple tools" to exert influence.
US President Trump Visual China
Russian media outlet RT pointed out that in recent days, Trump has increasingly criticized the Kremlin because he believes there has been no progress in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Trump posted on social media on the 25th, criticizing Russia for launching missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities, claiming that Putin has become "insane."
At the same time, Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, accusing him of "every word he says does nothing good for Ukraine."
According to media reports, due to dissatisfaction with Russia's continued strikes on Ukraine and the slow progress of peace talks, Trump is considering imposing new sanctions on Russia. Sources told The Wall Street Journal that the new sanctions being considered by the US may not include new banking restrictions, but other pressure options are under discussion to force Russia to make concessions at the negotiating table.
Sources also said that Trump is tired of peace talks and is considering abandoning negotiations altogether if the final push fails.
In recent days, Russia has escalated its air strikes against Ukraine, launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at various targets across Ukraine. Russia emphasized that its military strikes on Ukrainian military-related facilities were in response to Ukraine's attempts to attack civilian facilities within Russia using drones.
Russian Defense Ministry announced on the 27th that in just the past week, Russian air defense systems have shot down 1,465 Ukrainian drones in non-conflict zones. The Russian military stated: "The Kiev government, with support from some European countries, has taken a series of provocative measures aimed at disrupting the negotiation process."
Regarding the progress of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov told TASS on the 28th that the draft memorandum of the peace agreement prepared by both sides will be released soon, followed by the next round of negotiations. He said that there is a possibility of a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, but such a meeting should be the result of a specific agreement reached by the negotiating delegations of both sides.
Peskov stated that the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams are formulating a list of temporary ceasefire conditions, but during this period, Russia will continue its "special military operation."
This article is an exclusive contribution by Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509477971011453449/
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