US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of “playing with fire” amid a series of increasingly confrontational exchanges between Washington and Moscow over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The pointed statement, delivered via Trump’s Truth Social platform on May 27, comes just days after a reportedly “productive” phone call between the two leaders – suggesting a widening gap between diplomatic formalities and underlying tensions.

Trump’s remarks mark a sharp departure from his earlier tone toward Putin, signaling growing frustration within the White House over what it views as Moscow’s intransigence in ongoing peace negotiations. While Trump did not elaborate on the precise meaning behind his “playing with fire” comment, the statement has reverberated across international media and political circles, prompting a fierce response from Moscow and intensifying the war of words between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.

The backdrop to Trump’s latest remarks was a phone call held last week between the US and Russian presidents. According to official readouts, both sides described the conversation as “productive,” with discussions focused on de-escalation, ceasefire prospects, and a broader peace settlement in Ukraine. Yet, only days later, Trump’s online post struck a far more belligerent note.

“If it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD,” Trump wrote. “Putin is playing with fire!”

The ambiguity of the statement left analysts speculating........

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