The News
US President Donald Trump issued a rare rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday after a deadly airstrike on Kyiv, as peace talks appear to be faltering.
“Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling the attack that killed 12 people in Ukraine’s capital this week “not necessary, and very bad timing.”
The comments come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would cut short his trip to South Africa and called on Washington to apply “more pressure” on Russia.
Peace efforts have significantly derailed in recent weeks, after each side accused the other of failing to observe an Easter ceasefire.
Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Zelenskyy after he refused to accept US terms for a peace deal that would require Ukraine to recognize Moscow’s 2014 occupation of Crimea as legal.