US President Donald Trump said he is weighing new sanctions against Russia following a series of massive aerial attack on Ukraine, making some of the most intense since the war began in February 2022.His comments followed a third consecutive night of heavy Russian airstrikes that, according to Ukrainian authorities, killed at least 12 people, including three children, and left dozens injured.In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that he was ‘strongly considering large scale’ sanctions on Russia in response to the latest military escalation, and said that Russian President Vladimir Putin as ‘has gone absolutely crazy.’Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posting that the Ukrainian leader ‘is doing his Country no favours by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop.’Zelenskyy, in turn, condemned the attacks as a ‘deliberate political choice’ by the Kremlin, asserting that the strikes serve no military purpose but are instead aimed at prolonging the war and increasing human suffering. ‘These attacks are a clear signal that Russia is not seeking peace,’ he said. ‘They are designed to break our spirit and increase the human toll.’In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump's remarks, saying the current phase of the conflict is characterized by heightened emotions and internal tensions within Western nations.The escalation comes as Russia announced the establishment of a ‘security buffer zone’ along its border, amid ongoing exchanges of attacks and growing fears of a broader conflict. International efforts to broker a ceasefire or peace agreement have so far been unsuccessful, with both sides showing little willingness to compromise. (
