Bangladesh, May 26 -- In a dramatic series of statements that surprised political observers and foreign policy experts alike, US President Donald Trump openly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for what he called a “completely unwarranted” escalation of military action in Ukraine. The remarks came on the heels of a particularly intense period in the ongoing conflict, during which Ukraine launched hundreds of drone attacks inside Russian territory, including a massive swarm that reportedly nearly reached President Putins helicopter during a visit to Kursk on May 20.

Despite these aggressive Ukrainian operations, Trump asserted that Russias retaliatory missile strikes were unjustified, describing Putin as having “...