The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has heightened tensions between the US and Russia, with both sides engaging in a war of words. US President Donald Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that he is "playing with fire" over the intensifying situation, prompting a sharp response from top Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev.
Medvedev dismissed Trump's criticism as reckless, likening it to sparking World War III. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov countered that the US administration is making efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully and values President Trump's mediation efforts.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has been in talks with US Secretary of State about upcoming negotiations in Istanbul, where Russia is expected to present "concrete proposals" for ending the war. The standoff between Trump and Putin has raised concerns that the conflict could escalate further, with 50,000 Russian troops massed near a Ukrainian region, fueling fears of an all-out war.