President Donald Trump has criticized President Vladimir Putin while advocating for a peace agreement.
Russia launched an extensive attack on Kyiv early this morning (April 24), local time, using missiles and drones. In response, the US President has made a statement.
The assault resulted in the death of at least nine people and injured over 70, marking it as the deadliest attack on Kyiv since last July amid ongoing peace negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he is cutting short his official trip to South Africa to return home and address Russia’s largest attack on Kyiv in nine months, calling it ‘one of [Russia’s] most outrageous’.
President Trump has commented on the situation, criticizing the ‘unnecessary’ bombing.
On Truth Social, he wrote: “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko has declared Friday as an official day of mourning in the capital.
The Ukrainian air force reported that 66 ballistic and cruise missiles, four plane-launched air-to-surface missiles, and 145 Shahed and decoy drones were fired by Russia at Kyiv and four other regions of Ukraine.
Rescue workers searched the charred remains of partially collapsed homes with flashlights, while emergency vehicles illuminated the city streets.
The attack occurred as peace negotiations were reaching a critical point without a clear agreement, and shortly after Trump criticized Zelenskyy for extending the ‘killing field’ by not surrendering the Russia-occupied Crimea Peninsula in a potential deal.
The previous day (April 23), Trump had strongly criticized Zelenskyy on Truth Social, suggesting that the conflict in Eastern Europe might soon conclude.
He stated: “We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!”
Recently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a caution to both Russia and Ukraine, stating that America would not wait indefinitely for a peace agreement to be reached and provided them with an ultimatum.
Rubio, tasked with facilitating a deal between the two nations, which have been at war since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, warned that without signs of a truce in the coming days, the US would withdraw from negotiations.
“We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,” Rubio asserted, mentioning ‘other priorities to focus on’.
After meeting with European leaders in Paris on April 17, Rubio told the media: “We need to determine very quickly now – and I’m talking about a matter of days – whether or not this is doable.
“If it’s not going to happen, then we’re just going to move on.”