- WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Thursday reacted angrily to Russian
strikes on Kyiv, telling his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to
"STOP", marking a new and sharp change in tone in his remarks on the
Russian leader.
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- Nine persons were killed and more than 100 were impacted
in a Russian airstrike overnight in what has been described as the largest
attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.
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- "I am not happy with the Russian strikes on
Kyiv," President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Not necessary, and
very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the
Peace Deal DONE!”
Also read: Zelenskyy cuts short South African trip after massive Russian strike on Kyiv kills 9
- President Trump has so far refrained from attacking the
Russian leader, reiterating multiple times the friendship between them. He has
been far more critical of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and slammed
him on Wednesday for refusing to accept Russia's suzerainty over Crimea, which
it snatched in 2014.
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- President Trump's attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine war
have stalemated in recent days. While Ukraine has accepted the US peace plan of
a complete ceasefire, Russia has not and has continued attacking Ukraine.
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- Zelenskyy has sought a complete ceasefire before further
talks.
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- "It has been 44 days since Ukraine agreed to a full
ceasefire and a halt to strikes," he wrote on X on Thursday.
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- "This was a proposal from the United States. And it
has been 44 days of Russia continuing to kill our people and evading tough
pressure and accountability for its actions. It is extremely important that
everyone around the world sees and understands what is really happening. Nearly
70 missiles, including ballistic ones. And about 150 attack drones.”
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- US support under President Joe Biden enabled Ukraine to
withstand the Russian onslaught for three years.
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- After taking office, President Trump has indicated that
support is not for as long as it takes, as President Biden had vowed, and has
sought access to Ukraine's rare earth reserves in exchange for the support and
also pushed the two sides to end the war.
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- He has obtained President Zelenskyy's agreement to his
ceasefire plan, but has not made much headway with President Putin. And that
frustration showed through in the Thursday morning post on Truth Social.
