President Donald Trump stated 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 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 Power One to return to Washington from New Jersey.
“We’re in the course of speaking, and he’s taking pictures 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 for the reason that struggle started in February 2022 when it comes to the variety of weapons used, leaving a dozen folks lifeless.
The airstrike occurred simply hours earlier than the third and ultimate prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, with each nations having exchanged tons of of prisoners of struggle in an effort to scale down the battle.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of intentionally prolonging the struggle and known as on america and European international locations to impose additional sanctions as a way to strain Russia.
“Every such terrorist Russian strike is a ample cause for brand new sanctions in opposition to Russia,” Zelenskyy stated on social media platformX. “Silence of America, silence of others world wide solely encourage Putin. With out really robust 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 stated that he desires ALL of Ukraine, not only a piece of it, and perhaps that’s proving to be proper, but when he does, it should result in the downfall of Russia,” he said of the Russian chief.
Trump additionally stated 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 known as for an instantaneous cease-fire in Ukraine.
“The indiscriminate killing of ladies and youngsters at evening of their houses is a transparent violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to guard innocents,” Kellogg acknowledged 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 both sides agreed to launch 1,000 prisoners of struggle captured in the course of the three-year struggle.
Zelenskyy stated 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 dwelling 303 troopers on Might 25.
The primary two phases of the deal concerned the alternate 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 geared toward ending the struggle 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 have to be resolved.
Zelenskyy has said on X that Ukraine is able to enter into a brief cease-fire with Russia however added that Russia should first reveal its readiness to finish the struggle, “beginning with a full, unconditional ceasefire.” This could 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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