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Key Points
- A Russian strike on Ukraine’s capital has killed at least 12 people.
- US President Donald Trump has criticised the strikes, calling them “not necessary” and “very bad timing”.
- The White House has threatened to abandon its efforts towards a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if progress isn’t made soon.
Russia has pounded Kyiv with missiles and drones, killing at least 12 people in the biggest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year and drawing a rare rebuke from United States President Donald Trump, who told Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop”.
In a press conference following a missile attack on the Ukrainian capital, Trump was asked by reporters about his level of frustration towards .
“I didn’t like last night, I wasn’t happy with it, and we’re in the midst of talking peace, missiles were fired and I was not happy with it,” Trump said.
The attack, which the US president said was “not necessary” and “very bad timing” , also wounded 90 people, smashed buildings and set off fires, Ukrainian officials said.
Both Ukraine and Russia have been trying to show Trump they are making progress towards his goal of a rapid peace deal.
The White House has if no progress is made soon.
Asked what he would do, including whether he would consider additional sanctions against Russia, if it continued to strike Ukraine, Trump said: “I’d rather answer that question in a week; I want to see if we can have a deal.
“But I won’t be happy, let’s put it that way. Things will happen.”
Trump has used a markedly more gentle tone in his statements about Putin than with , whom he at one point referred to as .
The US president insisted that his administration was applying “a lot of pressure” on Russia, as well as Ukraine.
He said significant progress had been made in peace negotiations and that the Kremlin had made a “pretty big concession” by being open to “stopping the war, stopping taking the whole country”.
“This next few days is going to be very important. Meetings are taking place right now,” Trump said.
“I think we’re going to make a deal … I think we’re getting very close.”
Russia launched 145 drones and 70 missiles, including 11 ballistic missiles, in the overnight attack. Source: AAP / Justin Yau
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said at the same news conference that further discussions were planned for the weekend, reiterating that the US wants both Ukraine and Russia to step up to finalise a deal.
“We need both of them to say yes, but what happened last night with those missile strikes should remind everybody of why this war needs to end.”
Earlier, Trump said on his Truth social media platform: “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Zelenskyy said on Thursday he believed that a document with proposals that emerged from Wednesday’s talks between officials from Ukraine and European allies in London was now on Trump’s table.
“I believe that today, this format, this document, is on President Trump’s desk,” Zelenskyy told a press conference in South Africa.
“Anything that contradicts our values or our constitution cannot be included in any agreement.”
Zelenskyy, who cut short a trip to South Africa on Thursday after the Russian strike, said he did not see signs the US was putting strong pressure on Russia.
Trump’s special envoy is expected to meet Putin on Friday for more talks, a US official has said.
‘Mobile phones heard ringing beneath the rubble’
The Russian defence ministry said it carried out what it described as a massive overnight strike against Ukraine’s military-industrial complex using air, land and sea-based long-range high-precision weapons and drones.
Rescue teams were operating at 13 sites in Kyiv with climbing specialists and sniffer dogs, the emergency services said. Along with killing at least 12 people, 90 others had been wounded.
“Mobile telephones are heard ringing beneath rubble. The search will continue until it becomes clear that they have got everyone,” Ukraine’s emergency services said.
Fires had broken out in garages and administrative buildings, and falling metal fragments had struck vehicles.
Zelenskyy said on X that Russia had used a North Korean ballistic missile in the attack, citing preliminary information.
Russia launched 145 drones and 70 missiles, including 11 ballistic missiles, in the overnight attack, Ukraine’s air force said on Telegram. Air force units shot down 112 targets.
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