President Trump gave a strong message to Russian President Vladimir Putin to “STOP!” after Ukraine was hit with missile attacks.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying,” Mr. Trump wrote Thursday on social media. “Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Russia launched missiles and drones on Kyiv overnight, marking the deadliest attack on the city since last summer, leaving nearly 10 dead and over 70 injured.
The criticism of Mr. Putin comes a day after Mr. Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being disagreeable about peace talks.
Mr. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that his country “will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea.”
Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014. Mr. Trump said the Ukrainian president’s comments are “very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama and is not even a point of discussion.”
“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he said Wednesday. “The area also houses, for many years before ’the Obama handover,’ major Russian submarine bases. It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War.”
The president said Mr. Zelenskyy has “nothing to boast about” and called the war situation in Ukraine “dire.”
“He can have Peace or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever,” he said.
He said Mr. Zelenskyy’s comment will continue the “killing field.”
“We are very close to a Deal, but the man with “no cards to play” should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!” he said on social media.
Peace talks are continuing. Officials from several countries met in London on Wednesday to discuss a ceasefire deal. Special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow for more discussions with Mr. Putin.
Tensions have been rising, though, and Mr. Trump is not happy with how long the talks have been drawn out. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that what Mr. Trump “is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long.”
“And in order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy, and unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that’s unacceptable to the president,” she said.
Mr. Trump on Wednesday said he thinks “we have a deal with Russia” in regards to a ceasefire deal.
“If I can solve it because of a certain ability, that will be great. And if it doesn’t happen, I will say that I think Russia is ready. And a lot of people said Russia wanted to go for the whole thing,” Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelenskyy, and I hope that Zelenskyy, I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelenskyy. So far, it’s been harder,” he said. “But that’s OK. It’s all right, but I think we have a deal with both.”
