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 proud of what Putin is doing. He’s killing lots of people. And I don’t know what the hell occurred to Putin,” Trump told reporters on the airport in New Jersey earlier than boarding Air Drive One to return to Washington from New Jersey.
“We’re in the course 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 Could 25, in what’s believed to be its largest aerial assault for the reason that warfare 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 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 referred to as on the US and European international locations to impose additional sanctions as a way to strain Russia.
“Every such terrorist Russian strike is a enough cause for brand spanking new sanctions towards Russia,” Zelenskyy stated on social media platformX. “Silence of America, silence of others all over the world solely encourage Putin. With out really 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 at all times 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’s going to result in the downfall of Russia,” he said of the Russian chief.
Trump additionally mentioned that Zelenskyy was not doing any favors for his nation “by speaking the best way 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 youngsters at night time of their properties is a transparent violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to guard innocents,” Kellogg said in a social media post. “Cease the killing. Ceasefire now.”
The prisoners swap completes the third a part of a deal signed final month, below which either side agreed to launch 1,000 prisoners of warfare captured throughout the three-year warfare.
Zelenskyy stated on social media platform X that 303 prisoners have been returned to Ukraine on Could 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 Could 25.
The primary two phases of the deal concerned the trade of 307 prisoners from either side on Could 24 and 390 prisoners from either side on Could 23.
The Trump administration has been pushing for a cease-fire deal geared toward ending the warfare in Ukraine. The Kremlin said 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 said on X that Ukraine is able to enter into a short lived cease-fire with Russia however added that Russia should first reveal its readiness to finish the warfare, “beginning with a full, unconditional ceasefire.” This is able to contain ending missile and drone strikes and halting offensive assaults alongside the entrance traces.
Jacob Burg and Reuters contributed to this report.
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