President Donald Trump offered sharp criticism of Vladimir Putin on Thursday, imploring Russia to "STOP!" after a deadly barrage of attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.
"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv," Trump wrote Thursday morning on Truth Social. "Not necessary, and very bad timing.
"Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying.
"Lets get the peace deal done!"
Russia struck Kyiv with an hourslong barrage of missiles and drones. At least nine people were killed and more than 70 injured in the deadliest assault on the city since last July. The strikes took place just as peace efforts are coming to a head.
Putin's strike came hours after Trump has suggested a peace deal was being put in place with Russia, but still needed some form of work with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump was critical of Zelenskyy in a Wednesday Truth Social post:
"Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, 'Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There's nothing to talk about here.' This statement is 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? 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. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is 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.
"The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the 'killing field,' and nobody wants that!
"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!"
Trump's first administration's Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" on Thursday morning that "there may be some recalculation in the White House" after the deadly strike Thursday morning.
"Putin showed who he is: He's a gangster and a killer," Wilkie said. "His propaganda machine said it was targeting aviation depots when they hit civilian areas pretty strongly with ballistic missiles."
A Kyiv source told Reuters the missile strike used a North Korean KN-23 missile, too, adding another dynamic to Trump's foreign policy challenges in bringing peace to a destabilized world former President Joe Biden left behind.
"So, Putin, he continues to try the president's patience, and I think that has to enter into whatever they're discussing," Wilkie said.
Trump's criticism of Putin is notable because Trump has repeatedly said Russia, the aggressor in the conflict, is more willing than Ukraine to get a deal done.
"I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelenskyy," Trump told reporters Wednesday. "So far it's been harder, but that's OK. It's all right."
The White House announced Tuesday that Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff would visit Moscow this week for a new round of talks with Putin about the war. It would be their fourth meeting since Trump took office in January.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used to compile this report.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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