Trump Says He’s Weighing Russia Sanctions, Calls Putin ‘Crazy’

President Donald Trump said he was “absolutely” considering new sanctions against Russia, after Moscow launched a second night of deadly missile and drone strikes across much of Ukraine.

Trump’s comments, made to reporters in New Jersey on Sunday before he boarded Air Force One, came as he grows visibly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the state of talks meant to deliver a ceasefire in Ukraine.

“I’m not happy with what Putin is doing,” Trump said. “He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin. I’ve known him a long time — always gotten along with him — but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

Trump in a Truth Social post later on Sunday said that Putin “has gone absolutely CRAZY!”

“I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Trump said after he returned to Washington.

Trump had cooled to the idea of ratcheting up pressure on Putin with sanctions earlier this month. Possibilities may include new sanctions targeting Russia’s oil trade or oil company Rosneft.

Ukrainian authorities said at least 12 people were killed in Russian airstrikes overnight, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to renew his call for more sanctions. The attacks coincided with a third day of prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump repeatedly questioned “what’s wrong” with Putin as he addressed reporters at the airport. “We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities,” he said. “I don’t like it at all.”

Trump blamed Zelenskiy, along with Putin and former US President Joe Biden, for the war.

“President Zelenskiy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,” he said in the Truth Social post. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”