Vladimir Putin (left), Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP)
US President Donald Trump was “not happy” but “not surprised” by Russia’s latest missile and drone strikes on Kyiv that killed at least 19 people, the White House said on Thursday, while urging “both sides” to move toward ending the war.“He was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised. These are two countries that have been at war for a very long time,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during her daily briefing.Leavitt added, “Russia launched this attack on Kyiv, and likewise, Ukraine recently dealt a blow to Russia’s oil refineries.”The Russian barrage hit residential apartment blocks, a European Union mission, and a British government cultural centre in one of the largest attacks since the war began in February 2022, reported AFP,Trump, who had pledged to end the Ukraine conflict “within 24 hours” of taking office, has since acknowledged the situation is more complex than anticipated. A summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month in Alaska failed to yield any breakthrough.Leavitt said the president may issue further remarks on the Kyiv attack and reiterated Trump’s stance on seeking a negotiated end to the war.“Perhaps both sides of this war are not ready to end it themselves,” she said. “The president wants it to end, but the leaders of these two countries… must want it to end as well.” Leavitt also claimed Trump had worked “harder than anyone” to secure peace, echoing recent remarks from the administration pointing to diplomatic efforts as ongoing.Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, warned that the latest strikes could set back the president’s peace efforts.“These egregious attacks threaten the peace that @POTUS is pursuing,” Kellogg posted.
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