US President Donald Trump issued a rare and direct public rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, urging him to halt hostilities after a deadly missile and drone barrage on the Ukrainian capital killed at least 12 people and injured scores more.
The overnight assault, described as the heaviest on Kyiv this year, left buildings in ruins, ignited multiple fires, and shattered any immediate hopes of a ceasefire as negotiations between the two sides reportedly inch forward.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Addressing reporters later at the White House, Trump said his administration was applying “a lot of pressure” on both Moscow and Kyiv to finalise a peace agreement. He hinted that “pretty big concessions” had been made by the Kremlin, which he said had shown willingness to halt its full-scale invasion.
“This next few days is going to be very important. Meetings are taking place right now,” he said. “I think we’re going to make a deal... I think we’re getting very close.”
The comments come amid heightened diplomatic activity in Washington, where NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also held meetings on the crisis. Rutte, speaking to reporters after his talks with Trump, said Ukraine was “playing ball” and the ball was now “clearly in the Russian court.”
The Russian strike, however, has complicated efforts. Ukraine’s emergency services confirmed 12 deaths and 90 injuries from the overnight barrage that struck 13 sites across Kyiv. Rescue teams, aided by sniffer dogs and climbing specialists, were still working through the rubble 12 hours after the attack, with reports of mobile phones ringing beneath collapsed structures.
“There was the air raid siren, we did not even have time to dress,” said Kyiv resident Viktoria Bakal. “One blast came after the other, all windows were blown out, doors, walls, my husband and son were thrown to the other side.”
Ukraine’s military said the strike included ballistic missiles, drones, and precision weapons launched from air, sea, and land. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alleged that a North Korean-made ballistic missile — the KN-23 — was used in the attack, citing preliminary findings. A military source said the missile struck a residential building west of Kyiv’s centre.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the attack targeted Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking to CBS News, reiterated Moscow’s claim that civilians were not targeted. He added that peace efforts were “moving in the right direction” but that “some specific points need to be fine-tuned.”
Zelenskiy, on the other hand, warned that the air assault served as cover for intensified ground operations, particularly in the eastern Pokrovsk sector, though Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled the attack.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that seven other Ukrainian regions were also hit. Strikes were reported in Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, and the industrial city of Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk.
Despite pushing for a quick deal, Trump took a softer tone with Putin than with Zelenskiy. On Wednesday, he criticised the Ukrainian leader for refusing to recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea, calling his stance unhelpful to peace negotiations. Trump later said it would be “very difficult” for Ukraine to retake the peninsula.
Meanwhile, a US official confirmed that Trump’s special envoy would meet Putin on Friday, raising expectations that a new proposal may be under consideration.
The White House has warned that its diplomatic efforts could be abandoned if progress is not achieved soon, adding further urgency to what Trump called his own “fast” deadline for peace.
