KIEV (Reuters) – Russia bombed Kiev with missiles and drones at night, killing at least 12 people in the biggest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year and attracting a rare condemnation of Donald Trump, who told Vladimir Putin: “Vladimir, stop!”
The attack, which the president of the United States claimed not to be “necessary” and was performed at a “very bad time”, while he pressed for peace, injured 90 people, destroyed buildings and caused fires, according to Ukrainian authorities. Some people were still stuck under the rubble more than 12 hours later.
The attack occurs at a critical moment of the Russian war in Ukraine, which began with the large -scale invasion of Moscow in 2022. Both Kiev and Moscow are trying to show Trump that they are progressing toward a fast peace agreement.
“I’m not happy with the Russian attacks on Kiev. It’s not necessary, and the moment is very bad. Vladimir, stop! 5,000 soldiers are dying a week. Let’s conclude the peace agreement!” Trump said on Truth Social, referring to Russian President.
The White House threatened to abandon its efforts if there is no progress soon. Trump scolded Zelenskiy on Wednesday because of a comment in which the Ukrainian repeated that Kiev would not recognize the occupation of Crimea by Russia.
Trump has been using a gentler tone in his Putin statements than with Zelenskiy, whom he referred at a certain moment as a “dictator.” Trump’s special envoy should meet Putin on Friday for more conversations, a US authority said.
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Zelenskiy said Thursday he believed that a document with proposals that emerged from Wednesday’s conversations between Ukrainian and Western authorities in London was now at Trump’s table.
“I believe that today, this format, this document, is at President Trump’s table,” Zelenskiy told a press conference in South Africa.
“Anything that contradicts our values or our constitution cannot be included in any agreement.”
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Zelenskiy, who reduced a trip to South Africa on Thursday after the Russian attack, stated that he sees no signs that Washington is exerting strong pressure on Russia.
