“Zelenskyy understands that,” Trump mentioned, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “and everyone understands that it has been with them for a very long time.”
Trump has been accusing Zelenskyy of prolonging the warfare by resisting negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Crimea is a strategic peninsula alongside the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. It was seized by Russia in 2014, whereas President Barack Obama was in workplace, years earlier than the full-scale invasion that started in 2022.
“They’ve had their submarines there for lengthy earlier than any interval that we’re speaking about, for a few years. The folks converse largely Russian in Crimea,” Trump mentioned.
“However this was given by Obama. This wasn’t given by Trump.”
In the meantime, Russia has continued its bombardment. A drone struck an condo constructing in a southeastern Ukraine metropolis, killing three folks and injuring 10 others, officers mentioned on Friday, a day after Trump rebuked Russia’s chief for a lethal missile and drone assault on Kyiv.
A baby and a 76-year-old lady had been among the many civilians killed within the nighttime drone strike in Pavlohrad, in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk area, the top of the regional administration, Serhii Lysak, wrote on Telegram.
Russian forces fired 103 Shahed and decoy drones at 5 Ukrainian areas in a single day, Ukraine’s air drive reported. Authorities within the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv areas reported harm to civilian infrastructure however no casualties.
The warfare may very well be approaching a pivotal second because the Trump administration weighs its choices. Senior US officers have warned that the administration might quickly quit makes an attempt to cease the warfare if the 2 sides don’t come to an settlement. That would probably imply a halt of essential US army assist for Ukraine.
Amid the peace efforts, Russia pounded Kyiv in an hours-long barrage Thursday, killing at the least 12 folks and injuring 87 in its deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital since July.
The assault drew a uncommon rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin from Trump, who has mentioned {that a} push to finish the warfare is coming to a head.
“I’m not proud of the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not crucial, and really unhealthy timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 troopers per week are dying.” Trump wrote in a publish on his Fact Social platform. “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Trump’s frustration is rising as his effort to forge a deal between Ukraine and Russia has failed to attain a breakthrough.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow on Friday, their second assembly this month and the fourth since February.
The Kremlin launched a brief video of Putin and Witkoff greeting one another.
“How are you, Mr. President?” Witkoff may very well be heard saying. “Positive, simply high-quality, thanks,” Putin responded in uncommon remarks in English, as the 2 shook palms.
Putin’s international coverage aide Yuri Ushakov and envoy for worldwide cooperation Kirill Dmitriev joined the 2 on the desk for the talks.
Trump accused Zelenskyy on Wednesday of prolonging the “killing area” by refusing to give up the Russia-occupied Crimea Peninsula as a part of a attainable deal. Russia illegally annexed that space in 2014. Zelenskyy has repeated many instances in the course of the warfare that recognising occupied territory as Russian is a crimson line for his nation.
Trump and Zelenskyy plan to reach in Rome on Friday for the funeral of Pope Francis within the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Sq. on Saturday. It wasn’t instantly clear if they’d meet individually.
An explosion in Moscow targets a senior officer
In the meantime, a senior Russian army officer was killed by a automotive bomb close to Moscow on Friday, Russia’s high felony investigation company mentioned.
The assault follows the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov on December 17, 2024, when a bomb hidden on an electrical scooter parked outdoors his condo constructing exploded as he left for his workplace. Russian authorities blamed Ukraine for the killing of Kirillov.
Since Russia invaded, a number of distinguished figures have been killed in focused assaults believed to have been carried out by Ukraine.
Russian forces used Thursday’s assault on Kyiv as cowl to launch virtually 150 assaults on Ukrainian positions alongside the roughly 1000-kilometre entrance line, Zelenskyy mentioned late on Thursday.
“When the utmost of our forces was targeted on defence towards missiles and drones, the Russians went on to considerably intensify their floor assaults,” he wrote on Telegram.
Western European leaders have accused Putin of dragging his toes within the negotiations and in search of to seize extra Ukrainian land whereas his military has battlefield momentum.
Zelenskyy famous Thursday that Ukraine agreed to a US ceasefire proposal 44 days in the past, as a primary step to a negotiated peace, however that Russian assaults continued.
Throughout latest talks, Russia hit town of Sumy, killing greater than 30 civilians gathered to rejoice Palm Sunday, battered Odesa with drones and blasted Zaporizhzhia with highly effective glide bombs.
