On Wednesday, President Trump vented frustration at Volodymyr Zelensky. On Thursday, he vented at Vladimir Putin after a major new assault on Kyiv:
- "I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. (Let's) get the Peace Deal DONE!"
The criticism comes a day after Trump and other top aides demanded that Ukraine accept a peace proposal seen as favorable to Russia, reports the New York Times. However, Zelensky rejected the plan, which appears to call for his nation to cede the Crimean peninsula back to Moscow. "There is nothing to talk about," Zelensky said. "This violated our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of Ukraine." After the rejection, Trump wrote a lengthy post calling the Ukrainian leader's language "inflammatory" and saying it would only prolong the war.
On Thursday, Russia pummeled the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with what the AP describes as an "hourslong barrage of missiles and drones." At least nine people were killed and more than 70 injured. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)