Putin's plane narrowly escapes attack, Russian military bombards Kyiv, Trump changes his stance!

On May 25, Russian media revealed that on May 20, while inspecting the Kursk front by helicopter, Putin encountered an 'aerial assassination' from 46 Ukrainian drones. Russian air defense forces faced a dilemma, fearing accidental strikes while also risking the safety of Putin's aircraft. Fortunately, the Russian military intercepted all drones, and Putin's helicopter was unharmed; the Ukrainian ground forces attempting the sneak attack were also severely hit by the Russian military, resulting in over 400 deaths.

Just after Putin escaped danger, the Russian military went into 'rage mode.' From late night on May 23 to the early morning of May 25, the Russian military launched 69 ballistic missiles and nearly 300 'Geranium' drones, unleashing a 'rain of missiles' on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and five other cities. The Russian military first destroyed the Ukrainian Patriot air defense system with Iskander missiles, and then precisely targeted key sites like the Antonov factory with drones, turning the 'lifeline' of Ukrainian drones into a sea of fire.

In response to Putin's retaliation, Trump once again changed his tune. After a call with Putin on May 19, he abandoned the '30-day ceasefire' promise to Europe and supported direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky angrily criticized that 'America's silence encourages Putin.' Now that the conflict has escalated, Trump again expresses 'heartache for the war victims' and 'dissatisfaction with Putin,' but there has been no change in actual U.S. actions.

Trump's empty rhetoric without action stems from two reasons. On one hand, the U.S. has invested hundreds of billions in military aid during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, inflation is high domestically, and voters are dissatisfied. If Trump confronts Putin, he risks losing more votes in the midterm elections. On the other hand, during the call, Putin hinted at doing big business with the U.S. after the conflict ends, presenting a huge temptation for Trump, who is focused on the economy. In his eyes, Ukraine may simply be a disposable pawn.

In this crisis, China remains the calmest. The Foreign Ministry has already stated 'to promote peace and talks,' neither fueling the fire with military aid nor taking sides. The Russia-Ukraine situation is like a complex chess game, with Putin demonstrating power through airstrikes, Trump testing the limits with silence, and Zelensky struggling for survival in the cracks. But no matter how they stir things up, China continues to focus on its own economic development. After all, China knows that sanctions and war cannot solve problems; cooperation and win-win outcomes are the right path. The calculations of the U.S. and the EU on the Russia-Ukraine issue may again fall flat.