US President, Donald Trump has strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin following one of the most intense aerial assaults since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. The coordinated overnight attacks involved over 300 drones and missiles, targeting Ukrainian cities and killing dozens, just days after peace talks were reportedly on the horizon.

The strikes occurred as a planned prisoner exchange between the two nations was underway, with each side agreeing to release approximately 1,000 combatants and civilians over three days. The final phase of the swap was expected late Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed outrage: “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. We’re in the middle of talking and he’s sending rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don’t like it at all.”

He added, “I’m very surprised. We’ll see what we’re going to do…. I don’t like what Putin is doing… he’s killing people. Something happened to this guy and I don’t like it.”

On his Truth Social platform, Trump escalated his criticism, writing, “Putin has gone absolutely CRAZY! Missiles and drones are being shot into cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. 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!”

Russia’s sustained bombardment reportedly began Saturday night, targeting 30 cities and villages, and intensified on Sunday with a focus on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Russia claimed territorial gains in the form of three captured villages, although Ukrainian officials denied those claims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the global response, particularly that of the United States. “The silence of America, the silence of others in the world, only encourages Putin. Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia,” Zelensky said.

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the U.S. would consider imposing a 500% tariff on Russian oil and gas if there was no meaningful progress in peace negotiations, but clarified the final decision would rest with Trump if he returned to office.

Trump, however, responded sharply to Zelensky’s remarks. “Everything out of [Zelensky’s] mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a war that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s war, not ‘Trump’s.’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires that have been started through gross incompetence and hatred,” he wrote.

Trump has repeatedly asserted that, if elected again, he would end the war on “day one” of his second term.