The Kremlin has weighed in on the latest suspected attempt on Donald Trump’s life and twisted it into a warning about the Ukraine war.
It comes after an alleged gunman was spotted outside the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach on Sunday.
No shots were fired towards the former US president and suspect is now in custody.
According to US news outlets, law enforcement officials believe Ryan Routh is the suspect.
Routh is a vocal advocate for supporting Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, and tried to campaign to send US veterans in Afghanistan to the warzone.
He also spoke to the New York Times in 2023 for an article about Americans who volunteered to help Ukraine war effort.
It seems the Kremlin believes Routh’s backing for Ukraine is related to his alleged attempt on Trump’s life.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked if Moscow thought there was a connection between the two issues.
Initially he said: “It’s none of our business to use little grey cells in this particular case. It’s up to US secret services.”
But, Peskov then added: “In any case, playing with fire has its consequences.”
According to Reuters, that is a clear reference to the US’s ongoing support for Ukraine.
He then repeated that “this should be a big concern and headache for the US secret services.”
Ukraine’s allies are concerned a second Trump administration would reduce support for Kyiv, even though the US is the beleaguered country’s most powerful ally.
He is currently on the campaign trail hoping to be re-elected to the White House on the Republican ticket.
Trump has refused to say that he wants Ukraine to win the war, only saying repeatedly that he will end it.
Pundits fear he could give Ukrainian territory to Putin just to stop the two-year conflict.
Sunday’s alleged assassination attempt was the second in as many months for Trump.
The former US president was shot at in July while at an open-air rally near Pennsylvania, and the bullet grazed his ear.
The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by the secret service, after fatally shooting at one audience member and critically injuring two others.