On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to “throttle” U.S. tech giants like Microsoft and Zoom after Trump’s angry outburst at him.
Putin vows retaliation against american tech firms microsoft and zoom
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to “throttle” U.S. tech companies—specifically Microsoft and Zoom—in a sharp escalation of rhetoric.
The warning comes amid ongoing U.S.-Russia tensions and Donald Trump’s increasingly vocal criticism of Putin’s war in Ukraine.
He said: ‘They’re trying to choke us, we should respond in kind’.
Putin responded after learning Microsoft and Zoom continued limited operations in Russia despite sanctions and corporate exits.
“They are trying to choke us—we will respond in kind,” Putin declared in remarks aired on state television Monday.
These comments follow a week of renewed violence in Ukraine and a transatlantic war of words between world leaders.
Trump calls Putin ‘absolutely crazy’ in Truth Social tirade
Former President Donald Trump sharply criticized Putin in a fiery Truth Social post Sunday night, calling him “absolutely CRAZY!”
Additionally, Trump claimed Putin seeks total control over Ukraine , not just the eastern regions, and warned it could lead to Russia’s downfall.
“If he takes all of Ukraine, it will destroy Russia,” Trump wrote, reigniting speculation about his previous closeness with the Kremlin.
Earlier that day, Trump told reporters he was baffled by Putin’s recent actions: “I don’t know what the hell happened to him.”
The outburst followed a reported two-hour phone call between the two leaders last week, which Trump had called “excellent in tone.”
Kremlin mocks Trump’s rants as emotional overload
Kremlin officials dismissed Trump’s comments, suggesting the former president was suffering from “emotional overload” amid growing political pressure.
The jab came just as Russian missile and drone strikes intensified across Ukraine, with over 900 drones launched between Friday and Sunday.
Despite repeated calls for peace, including Trump’s push for a 30-day ceasefire, Russia has not slowed its military campaign.
Civilians in Kyiv and other cities endured sustained bombardment, defying any diplomatic momentum built during Trump-Putin talks.
Putin’s refusal to attend a planned summit in Turkey further dashed hopes for immediate resolution.
Macron and Grassley demand accountability for Russian aggression
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia’s escalations, accusing Putin of “lying to the Europeans and to the Americans.”
In the U.S., Republican Senator Chuck Grassley urged Trump to act, calling for “at least sanctions” to punish Russia’s war crimes.
“I’ve had enuf of Putin killing innocent ppl,” Grassley posted on X. “Pres Trump, take action—AT LEAST SANCTIONS.”
When asked at Morristown Airport, Trump said he was “absolutely” open to imposing more sanctions on Russia.
He emphasized he was deeply troubled by Russia’s attacks on civilians: “I don’t like it at all. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
Zelensky breaks silence against Putin’s war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly called out Western silence, warning that it only encourages further Russian aggression.
“Every terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions,” he posted on Telegram, urging immediate international action.
Trump, however, fired back on Truth Social, criticizing Zelensky’s tone and suggesting it made diplomacy harder.
“Everything out of his mouth causes problems. I don’t like it and it better stop,” Trump wrote, blaming Zelensky for inflaming tensions.
Their clash highlighted fractures within the anti-Putin alliance and Trump’s uneasy stance on Ukraine support.
A key summit that was expected to produce progress was canceled after Putin reportedly refused to attend when Trump backed out.
Trump cited conflicting travel plans to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE as the reason he skipped the Turkey meeting.
He later claimed Putin stayed away because he wasn’t going either, downplaying Russia’s lack of interest in peace.
In a late-night post, Trump pinned blame for the ongoing war on his political opponents.
“This war would never have started if I were President,” he said, calling it “Zelensky’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War—not Trump’s.”