President Donald Trump mentioned on Sunday that he was shocked by Russian chief Vladimir Putin’s escalation of assaults on Ukraine amid ongoing cease-fire talks, expressing his discontent with Putin’s actions.
“I’m not happy with what Putin is doing. He’s killing a lot of people. And I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,” Trump instructed reporters on the airport in New Jersey earlier than boarding Air Power One to return to Washington from New Jersey.
“We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don’t like it at all.”
Russia launched 367 drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in a single day into Might 25, in what’s believed to be its largest aerial assault because the warfare started in February 2022 by way of the variety of weapons used, leaving a dozen individuals useless.
The airstrike occurred simply hours earlier than the third and ultimate prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, with each nations having exchanged a whole bunch of prisoners of warfare in an effort to scale down the battle.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of intentionally prolonging the warfare and known as on the USA and European nations to impose additional sanctions as a way to stress Russia.
“Each such terrorist Russian strike is a sufficient reason for new sanctions against Russia,” Zelenskyy acknowledged on social media platformX. “Silence of America, silence of others around the world only encourage Putin. Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped.”
Trump additionally voiced his discontent with Putin’s actions on the Fact Social platform, warning that any actions to beat the whole lot of Ukraine would adversely have an effect on Russia.
“I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia,” he mentioned of the Russian chief.
Trump additionally mentioned that Zelenskyy was not doing any favors for his nation “by talking the way he does” and that he ought to cease.
U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg additionally condemned the Russian assaults as “shameful” and known as for a right away cease-fire in Ukraine.
“The indiscriminate killing of women and children at night in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to protect innocents,” Kellogg acknowledged in a social media submit. “Stop the killing. Ceasefire now.”
The prisoners swap completes the third a part of a deal signed final month, below which both sides agreed to launch 1,000 prisoners of warfare captured throughout the three-year warfare.
Zelenskyy acknowledged on social media platform X that 303 prisoners have been returned to Ukraine on Might 25, together with captured members of the armed forces, Nationwide Guard, State Border Guard Service, and State Particular Transport Service.
Russia’s Protection Ministry additionally confirmed the swap, saying that every nation welcomed house 303 troopers on Might 25.
The primary two phases of the deal concerned the change of 307 prisoners from both sides on Might 24 and 390 prisoners from both sides on Might 23.
The Trump administration has been pushing for a cease-fire deal aimed toward ending the warfare in Ukraine. The Kremlin mentioned on April 30 that Putin stays open to a cease-fire and eventual peaceable settlement to the battle however that there are nonetheless points that must be resolved.
Zelenskyy has mentioned on X that Ukraine is able to enter into a short lived cease-fire with Russia however added that Russia should first show its readiness to finish the warfare, “starting with a full, unconditional ceasefire.” This could contain ending missile and drone strikes and halting offensive assaults alongside the entrance strains.
Jacob Burg and Reuters contributed to this report.
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