Kyiv, Ukraine – President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure with the recent deadly Russian strikes on Kyiv, urging President Vladimir Putin to cease the attacks. The strikes in the Ukrainian capital overnight resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people and left 90 others injured. This incident marked the deadliest attacks Kyiv has experienced since July last year. Efforts to reach a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia faced a setback as tensions escalated following the violent attacks.

In a rare rebuke of Russian President Putin, Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to condemn the strikes as unnecessary and poorly timed. The attack came at a critical juncture when pressure was mounting on Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider Russian demands as part of a peace agreement. Trump emphasized during a joint appearance with Norway’s Prime Minister at the White House that his priority lay in saving lives rather than showing allegiance.

While expressing frustration with Putin, Trump hinted at the possibility of further action if the bombings persisted. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was scheduled to hold talks with Putin in Moscow to address the escalating situation. Zelensky, responding from South Africa where he was on a visit, called for more decisive action from the U.S. to secure a ceasefire, stressing the urgency of the situation in Ukraine.

Before the attack on Kyiv, tensions had been brewing between Trump and Zelensky over the terms of a potential peace agreement. Trump’s administration had proposed freezing territorial lines to end the war, but Zelensky’s reluctance to make concessions, including abandoning Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia, complicated negotiations. The increasing strain in the relationship between the two leaders underscored the challenges in reaching a resolution.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored the importance of ending the conflict, emphasizing the need for both parties to commit to the peace deal. Zelensky’s visit to South Africa signaled efforts to broaden Ukraine’s international partnerships in the face of strained relations with the U.S. Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine has drawn concern globally, prompting calls for swift action to de-escalate the situation and safeguard the region’s stability.