Trump Administration Reside Updates: President Calls on Putin to ‘STOP’ Russian Strikes on Ukraine

One missile hit a two-story constructing with 12 residences the place emergency employees hunted for survivors. A five-story constructing subsequent door misplaced all of its home windows. Individuals stood exterior, staring on the injury and speaking on their telephones, telling family members that they had been alive. No army goal was seen close by.

Mr. Zelensky stated practically 70 missiles, together with ballistic ones, and about 150 assault drones had focused cities throughout the nation — though Kyiv was the toughest hit.

Earlier than reducing quick a visit to South Africa, Mr. Zelensky advised a information convention there that he noticed no indication Russia was being pressured to comply with a cease-fire. He stated with extra strain introduced on Moscow, “we will get nearer to a whole, unconditional cease-fire.” To him, Mr. Zelensky added, Thursday’s assault on Kyiv as a substitute appeared meant to strain the US.

About the identical time, Mr. Trump lambasted President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in regards to the assault, exhibiting how his administration’s positions can appear to flip-flop with out warning.

“Vladimir, STOP!” Mr. Trump posted on Reality Social, saying that he was “not pleased with the Russian strikes on KYIV.” “Not obligatory, and really unhealthy timing,” the publish added.

The assault got here hours after Mr. Trump and his high aides demanded that Kyiv settle for an American-designed plan that will seemingly grant Russia all the territory it has gained within the struggle, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The plan additionally supplied Kyiv solely imprecise assurances in regards to the nation’s future safety. Thus far, Mr. Zelensky has stated Ukraine can not settle for such a deal.

Since taking workplace in January, the Trump administration has echoed Kremlin speaking factors within the struggle, a reversal of earlier U.S. coverage underneath the Biden administration. Over the previous week, the Trump administration has repeatedly threatened to stroll away from the peace course of, claiming that the 2 sides had been each intransigent. On Wednesday, deliberate peace talks in London had been downgraded, largely as a result of the US determined to not attend.

Mr. Trump later referred to as the Ukrainian president “inflammatory” in a publish on social media and stated Mr. Zelensky would solely “lengthen the ‘killing discipline.’”

“The president’s annoyed; his persistence is working very skinny,” Karoline Leavitt, the White Home press secretary, advised reporters in a while Wednesday. She echoed Mr. Trump in showing accountable Mr. Zelensky, saying that Ukraine’s chief appeared to be “shifting within the mistaken course.”

On Thursday, in his publish on Reality Social, Mr. Trump stated that he needed to “get the Peace Deal DONE!”

Mr. Zelensky earlier identified that Ukraine had accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30-day cease-fire in March whereas Mr. Putin has refused to comply with that plan. Whereas Mr. Putin did announce a brief truce for Easter Sunday, it appeared like extra of a public relations stunt than an precise cease-fire alongside the entrance strains. Ukrainian cities, at the least, had been largely spared for the truce’s 30 hours.

However that was not the case early Thursday. Shortly after midnight, the primary air alarms sounded.

Yevhenii Plakhotnikov, 40, lives simply throughout from the two-story condo constructing struck by a missile. He stated that he woke as much as the alarm, heard the buzzing sound of drones after which began getting dressed. A message on Telegram — the messaging platform that many Ukrainians depend on for missile alerts — stated a ballistic missile had been launched.

Mr. Plakhotnikov stated he went to the hallway to placed on his sneakers.

“Whereas I used to be placing on the second sneaker, I heard the primary explosion,” he recalled in an interview. “Then I heard one thing heavy fall. All my inside doorways had been torn in half. I opened the door and noticed shrapnel flying.”

He stated he helped get different individuals out of his constructing. There, one man was standing, lined in blood. One other, a bit farther away, stated merely: “That condo constructing within the courtyard is gone.”

Tetyana Hrynenko, 58, stood on the road, protecting her mouth along with her arms and looking out up her ruined condo subsequent to the flattened constructing.

“Crucial factor is that we’re alive,” stated Ms. Hrynenko, including that she had heard two explosions, noticed clouds of mud and smelled burning. She added: “Individuals had been shouting and asking for assist. I appeared out into the stairwell, and there have been no stairs. And I dwell on the fifth ground.”

Residents managed to clear the stairwell of particles, permitting Ms. Hrynenko and others to make it exterior.

Associates and kinfolk continued to indicate up exterior the demolished condo constructing hours after the assault, hoping for excellent news. However there was little available. A brother, 21, and a sister, 19, each died.

On Thursday afternoon, dozens of classmates and associates of Danylo Khudya, 17, got here to carry vigil: The teenager, referred to as Danya, was nonetheless lacking underneath the rubble, alongside along with his mother and father. Watching the emergency employees dig, the boys had been stone-faced, whereas lots of the women, together with Danya’s girlfriend, sobbed inconsolably.

“I’m ready for Danya,” stated one buddy, Denys, 19, who didn’t wish to give his final title.

Ukrainian officers have stated that Russia has solely intensified assaults in opposition to civilians for the reason that begin of U.S.-led peace negotiations.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of workers, posted a video on social media exhibiting emergency employees on Thursday. “As soon as once more, Russia strikes civilians,” he stated. Different Ukrainian officers urged Western companions to replenish Kyiv’s air defenses.

In March, Mr. Trump had pledged to work with Mr. Zelensky to seek out U.S.-made Patriot air protection programs. However when Mr. Zelensky stated this month that he needed to purchase Patriots from the US, Mr. Trump steered that Ukraine had “began the struggle” and stated the Ukrainian president was “at all times seeking to buy missiles.”

Thursday’s assault on Kyiv was one of many deadliest of the struggle and the worst within the capital since July, when Russian missiles destroyed a youngsters’s hospital and killed greater than 20 individuals all through town. Current lethal missile strikes have additionally focused the cities of Sumy and Kryvyi Rih, inflicting heavy civilian casualties.

By Thursday afternoon, the dying toll in Kyiv had climbed to 10 as emergency employees recovered extra our bodies from the rubble.

These affected by the strike stated that they need the struggle to finish however couldn’t see accepting a one-sided deal that will profit Russia.

“Yesterday we had been very upset that the negotiations hadn’t moved ahead, after which in a single day, it hit me instantly,” stated Ms. Hrynenko whereas surveying her broken condo. “I’m upset. Exhausted.”

Mr. Plakhotnikov stated he didn’t know of a means out for Ukraine.

“There’s no level in persevering with the struggle,” he stated, “nevertheless it’s additionally inconceivable to cease.”

Andrew E. Kramer contributed reporting from Kharkiv, Ukraine, and Oleksandra Mykolyshyn from Kyiv.