Tensions between the United States and Russia flared this week after a heated exchange between former U.S. President Donald Trump and top Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev raised fresh fears of global conflict.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for escalating the war in Ukraine and refusing to accept ceasefire terms. He claimed Putin was “playing with fire” and suggested that if it weren’t for his past leadership, “really bad things” would have happened in Russia.
Reacting sharply, Medvedev — the former Russian president and current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council — issued a blunt warning on platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII,” in reference to Trump’s remarks.
“I hope Trump understands this,” Medvedev added, suggesting that the former U.S. president’s words were dangerous and could provoke serious global consequences.
U.S. envoy and retired general Keith Kellogg criticised Medvedev’s statement, calling it “reckless” and “unfitting of a world power.”
This war of words comes at a time when efforts to end the war in Ukraine have stalled. The conflict, now in its third year, continues to escalate with Russia gaining more ground in northeastern Ukraine. On Tuesday, Russian forces reportedly captured four more villages in Sumy region — Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka, and Zhuravka — further pushing Ukrainian defences.
Putin himself has repeatedly raised the threat of nuclear weapons since the beginning of the invasion, and in a speech in March 2024, he warned that Western military involvement in Ukraine could lead to nuclear confrontation and the “destruction of civilisation.”
Trump also took a more aggressive stance on Sunday, calling Putin “absolutely crazy” for launching repeated airstrikes on Ukraine and ignoring international calls for a ceasefire. He said he was considering new sanctions against Russia if talks continue to stall.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials say Russian troops are expanding operations along the Sumy front, close to the Russian border. Armed with drones and motorcycles, Russian forces are advancing steadily, complicating Ukraine’s defence strategy.
