President Donald Trump mentioned on Sunday that he was stunned 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 pleased with what Putin is doing. He’s killing lots of people. And I don’t know what the hell occurred to Putin,” Trump advised reporters on the airport in New Jersey earlier than boarding Air Power One to return to Washington from New Jersey.
“We’re in the midst of speaking, and he’s capturing rockets into Kyiv and different cities. I don’t prefer it in any respect.”
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 struggle started in February 2022 by way of the variety of weapons used, leaving a dozen individuals lifeless.
The airstrike occurred simply hours earlier than the third and last prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, with each nations having exchanged a whole bunch of prisoners of struggle in an effort to scale down the battle.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of intentionally prolonging the struggle and referred to as on america and European international locations to impose additional sanctions as a method to strain Russia.
“Every such terrorist Russian strike is a adequate cause for brand new sanctions towards Russia,” Zelenskyy said on social media platformX. “Silence of America, silence of others world wide solely encourage Putin. With out actually sturdy strain on the Russian management, this brutality can’t be stopped.”
Trump additionally voiced his discontent with Putin’s actions on the Reality Social platform, warning that any actions to beat the whole lot of Ukraine would adversely have an effect on Russia.
“I’ve all the time mentioned that he needs ALL of Ukraine, not only a piece of it, and possibly that’s proving to be proper, but when he does, it can result in the downfall of Russia,” he mentioned of the Russian chief.
Trump additionally mentioned that Zelenskyy was not doing any favors for his nation “by speaking the way in which he does” and that he ought to cease.
U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg additionally condemned the Russian assaults as “shameful” and referred to as for a right away cease-fire in Ukraine.
“The indiscriminate killing of ladies and kids at evening of their properties is a transparent violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to guard innocents,” Kellogg said in a social media submit. “Cease 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 struggle captured through the three-year struggle.
Zelenskyy said 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 residence 303 troopers on Might 25.
The primary two phases of the deal concerned the trade 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 struggle 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 have to 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 exhibit its readiness to finish the struggle, “beginning with a full, unconditional ceasefire.” This is able to 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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