US President Donald Trump has said that he still believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about a peace deal. This statement was made despite the fact that overnight the aggressor state carried out the deadliest wave of attacks on Kyiv in the last nine months, UNN reports with reference to CNN.
We are very firmly convinced that they both want peace, but they have to sit down at the negotiating table - we have been waiting a long time, they have to put them at the negotiating table, and I think we will get peace.
In recent weeks, the US has been involved in negotiations on a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Trump has made it clear that he is frustrated by the lack of progress.
Trump's reaction to the strike on Kyiv
In a post on his Truth Social social platform earlier on Thursday, Trump called on Putin to stop bombing Ukraine, writing: "I am not happy with Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and a very bad time. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers die every week. Let's reach a peace agreement."
In his speech on Thursday, Trump also added that there is "a lot of hatred" between Ukraine and Russia, but insisted: "I think they both want peace, I believe it."
In addition, the President did not say whether he is considering new sanctions against Russia if it does not stop its attacks.
Addition
The US will demand that Russia recognize Ukraine's right to have its own army and defense industry as part of a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, according to people familiar with the situation.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who found refuge in the United States from the Russian war thanks to President Joe Biden's humanitarian program. Now they fear the prospect of deportation due to Donald Trump's aggressive immigration policy.