Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday reacted angrily to Russian strikes on Kyiv, telling his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to “STOP”, marking a new and sharp change in tone in his remarks on the Russian leader.
Nine persons were killed and more than 100 were impacted in a Russian airstrike overnight in what has been described as the largest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”
President Trump has so far refrained from attacking the Russian leader, reiterating multiple times the friendship between them. He has been far more critical of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and slammed him on Wednesday for refusing to accept Russia’s suzerainty over Crimea, which it snatched in 2014.
President Trump’s attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine war have stalemated in recent days. While Ukraine has accepted the US peace plan of a complete ceasefire, Russia has not and has continued attacking Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has sought a complete ceasefire before further talks.
“It has been 44 days since Ukraine agreed to a full ceasefire and a halt to strikes,” he wrote on X on Thursday.
“This was a proposal from the United States. And it has been 44 days of Russia continuing to kill our people and evading tough pressure and accountability for its actions. It is extremely important that everyone around the world sees and understands what is really happening. Nearly 70 missiles, including ballistic ones. And about 150 attack drones.”
US support under President Joe Biden enabled Ukraine to withstand the Russian onslaught for three years.
After taking office, President Trump has indicated that support is not for as long as it takes, as President Biden had vowed, and has sought access to Ukraine’s rare earth reserves in exchange for the support and also pushed the two sides to end the war.
He has obtained President Zelenskyy’s agreement to his ceasefire plan, but has not made much headway with President Putin. And that frustration showed through in the Thursday morning post on Truth Social.
(IANS)
