WASHINGTON/KYIV: President Donald Trump on Thursday offered rare criticism of Vladimir Putin, urging the Russian leader to 鈥淪TOP!鈥� after a deadly barrage of attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine鈥檚 capital.
鈥淚 am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying,鈥� Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. 鈥淟ets get the Peace Deal DONE!鈥�
Russia struck Kyiv with an hourslong barrage of missiles and drones. At least nine people were killed and more than 70 injured in the deadliest assault on the city since last July. The strikes took place just as peace efforts are coming to a head.

Trump told reporters at the White House that his administration was applying 鈥渁 lot of pressure鈥� on Russia and reiterated his displeasure with the attack.

Asked by a reporter if he thought Putin would listen to his appeal to stop missile strikes, Trump said 鈥淚 do.鈥�

But he said significant progress had been made in peace negotiations and the Kremlin had made a 鈥減retty big concession鈥� by being open to 鈥渟topping the war, stopping taking the whole country,鈥� referring to Ukraine.
鈥淭his next few days is going to be very important. Meetings are taking place right now,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to make a deal ... I think we鈥檙e getting very close.鈥�

Speaking to CBS News鈥� 鈥淔ace the Nation鈥� on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the effort was 鈥渕oving in the right direction鈥� but 鈥渟ome specific points ... need to be fine-tuned,鈥� according to a transcript. He did not provide details.
The US president said Washington was also pressuring Kyiv.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also at the White House, said further discussions were planned for the weekend, and the US wants to see both Ukraine and Russia step up to finalize a deal.
After talks with Trump in Washington, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that Kyiv was working hard for a deal. 鈥淭here is something on the table now I think, where Ukrainians are really playing ball, and I think the ball is clearly in the Russian court now,鈥� he told reporters.
The Kyiv attack, which the US president said was 鈥渘ot necessary鈥� and 鈥渧ery bad timing鈥� as he pushes for peace, also wounded 90 people, smashed buildings and set off fires, Ukrainian officials said. Rescuers were still recovering bodies from the rubble more than 12 hours later.
Asked if he had a deadline for the two sides, Trump said: 鈥淚 have my own deadline, and we want it to be fast.鈥�

The latest attack came at a critical moment in Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine, which began with Moscow鈥檚 full-scale invasion in 2022. Both Kyiv and Moscow are trying to show Trump they are making progress toward his goal of a rapid peace deal.
The White House has threatened to abandon its efforts if no progress is made soon. Trump upbraided Zelensky on Wednesday when the Ukrainian leader repeated that Kyiv would not recognize Russia鈥檚 occupation of Crimea.
Trump said on Thursday that it would be very difficult for Ukraine to regain Crimea.
Trump has used a markedly more gentle tone in his statements about Putin than with Zelensky, whom he at one point referred to as a 鈥渄ictator.鈥� Trump鈥檚 special envoy is expected to meet Putin on Friday for more talks, a US official has said.