Trump demands Putin halt strikes after Kyiv bombing: ‘Vladimir, STOP!’

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, demanding an end to the latest wave of airstrikes against Ukraine. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing,” Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social. “Vladimir, STOP!”

Moscow launched at least 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine on Thursday, most of them aimed at residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the attacks as an attempt to pressure Washington and extract concessions from Kyiv at a critical stage in ongoing peace negotiations. At least 12 people have been killed, and many others remain trapped beneath the rubble. The assault prompted Zelenskiy to cut short an official trip to South Africa and return to Ukraine.

Trump’s public condemnation of the Kremlin is notable given his previous alignment with Moscow’s positions throughout the war. It comes as Washington increases its diplomatic efforts and pressure — particularly on Ukraine — to try to reach a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv in the coming days, preferably before the Trump’s first 100 days in office next Wednesday. Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed he had already secured an agreement with Moscow and was waiting on Zelenskiy’s approval.

Trump is scheduled to meet Thursday at the White House with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Jens Stoltenberg, former NATO secretary general and ex-prime minister of Norway, to discuss NATO’s future and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, current NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to meet Thursday at the State Department with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to further discuss Ukraine and Alliance matters.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Trump and his national security team have threatened to withdraw from their mediating role if Kyiv does not accept the U.S. peace proposal — which disproportionately favors Moscow. The plan reportedly includes U.S. legal recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and, de facto, most of the Ukrainian territories currently under Russian control. It also calls for the lifting of sanctions on Moscow and a permanent bar on Ukraine’s NATO membership.

“Five thousand soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday.

The president’s sharp rebuke of Putin marks a departure from his usual rhetoric. Trump has long avoided direct criticism of the Russian leader, whom he often praises as “very smart,” while reserving his harshest remarks for Zelenskiy. Since returning to office, Trump has called the Ukrainian president a “dictator,” blamed him for the war, and accused him of dragging out the conflict unnecessarily — despite prior U.S. commitments to do “whatever it takes” to support Ukraine for “as long as it takes.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Thursday’s bombardment was a “massive strike with long-range air, land and sea-based weapons, and drones, on Ukraine’s aviation, aerospace, machine-building and armored vehicle industries.” “The objectives of the strike have been achieved,” it said.

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