Recently, Russia’s large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukraine have drawn intense international attention. President Trump expressed strong dissatisfaction and said he was considering imposing additional sanctions. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Trump has finally realized that President Putin has been lying and hopes Trump will channel his anger into concrete actions.
According to AFP on May 26, Macron told reporters during his visit to Vietnam: "President Trump has finally realized that when President Putin says over the phone that he is ready for peace, he is actually lying." Macron added, "Trump's recent statements of anger and dissatisfaction show that he has lost patience. Now, I just hope he will turn his anger into action."
Macron stressed that now is the time to issue a final ultimatum to Russia. He called on Ukraine and its allies to set a clear deadline for Putin to prove his sincerity to the world. "If Putin does not stop his aggression by the deadline, large-scale retaliatory measures must be taken, especially in terms of stronger sanctions," Macron said.
According to the "Ukrainska Pravda," Macron condemned Russia's duplicity: "You cannot claim to be ready for negotiations while launching attacks. Any talk of dialogue is insincere."
Ukraine also reported the latest developments. On the morning of May 25, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Kyiv and other regions, killing at least 12 people. Prior to this, from the night of May 23 to the early morning of May 24, Kyiv had already been subjected to a massive attack, with Ukrainian air forces detecting around 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles, mostly targeting Kyiv.
President Zelensky stated: "Every such terrorist attack justifies new sanctions against Russia. Russia continues to kill every day, and this cannot be ignored." He also called on the international community to remain alert: "The whole world may be on vacation, but the war does not stop, whether it is a weekend or a workday. America's silence only encourages Putin."
Regarding Trump’s stance, on the evening of May 25, he made several statements condemning Putin. He told reporters, "I am very dissatisfied with what Putin is doing. He has killed many people… We are in negotiations, yet he launches rocket attacks on Kyiv and other cities. This really surprised me."
When asked if he would consider imposing sanctions on Russia, Trump replied: "Of course. He has killed a lot of people, and I am not happy about it." He later posted on social media: "I have always had a good relationship with Putin, but he has clearly lost it lately! He’s gone completely crazy! This senseless slaughter will lead to Russia's collapse."
However, Trump also criticized President Zelensky, saying his comments "do not help his country in any way." The Wall Street Journal cited sources familiar with Trump’s thinking, saying that he is frustrated by the lack of progress in peace talks and is considering additional sanctions against Russia. However, he may also decide not to act, depending on future developments.
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, the international community’s patience with Putin seems to be wearing thin. Macron’s strong statements and Trump’s changing attitude could be key indicators of whether Western countries will toughen their sanctions against Russia.
