US President Donald Trump was angered by Russia's deadly missile strikes against Kyiv that killed a minimum of 12 people and left 90 wounded.
In an unusual public rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump implored, "Vladimir, STOP!" on Truth Social, condemning the attacks as "not necessary" and inopportune. Trump made no comment, however, as to whether any further action would be taken against Russia.
The bombings have also complicated the possibility of making peace between Russia and Ukraine, something Trump had vowed during his re-election bid to rapidly negotiate. He stated he was putting "a lot of pressure" on both countries to end the war and emphasized a desire to save lives over allegiance to either nation. Even though he was frustrated with Putin, Trump indicated that he would wait for a week to observe whether an agreement could be made, and that "things will happen" if the bombings continue.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was present in South Africa at the time, condemned the attacks and called for more active US intervention to pressure Russia to accept a ceasefire. He reiterated that a ceasefire should be the first step, and if accepted by Russia, they must cease the ongoing strikes.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended the missile attacks by stating that Russia does not hit anything but military targets, yet he did not provide any evidence to back up his statement. Lavrov further stated that there were some aspects that had to be "fine-tuned" for Russia to join a US-proposed peace deal.
Trump's relationship with Zelensky has taken a turn for the worse, particularly after the US president implied that Ukraine will have to forfeit territory, including Crimea, in a peace agreement. Ukraine has been vigorously against this since Crimea was unlawfully annexed by Russia in 2014. US Vice-President JD Vance outlined a vision for a peace agreement, stating that both countries make concessions over some territorial claims, but that the notion of accepting Russia's sovereignty over Crimea remains a bone of contention.
Zelensky's visit to South Africa has also strengthened bilateral ties between the two nations, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa being gravely concerned about the war. South Africa, being in the middle, wishes to facilitate peace talks and has talked to both Putin and Trump.
The US is trying to end the war but has a complex diplomatic situation, where Ukraine does not want to offer Russia land and the US is grappling with how to adapt to its evolving role in the war.
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