Zelensky says 'America's silence only encourages Putin' after deadly air strikes
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russian air strikes as 'terrorist' attacks against civilians. After his people had endured a terrifying night bombarded by 69 missiles and 298 drones in attacks that left 12 people dead and hundreds injured, Mr Zelensky turned his fury on the US.
While Donald Trump was giving a rambling, bizarre speech to US military graduates, his Ukrainian counterpart was blaming his inaction for enabling Vladimir Putin. Mr Zelensky said: 'America's silence, and the silence of others in the world, only encourages Putin.' Three children, aged eight, 12 and 15, had been killed in a town close to the capital Kyiv, and a man in his 70s had died in the southern city of Mykolaiv.
Mr Zelensky said: 'These were deliberate strikes on ordinary cities. Ordinary residential buildings were destroyed and damaged. Rescuers have been working in more than 30 Ukrainian cities and villages following Russia 's massive strike. Each such terrorist Russian strike is a sufficient reason for new sanctions against Russia. Russia is dragging out this war and continues to kill every day.'
Mr Zelensky demanded that the US put more pressure on Putin. He continued: 'Determination matters now, the determination of the US, the determination of European countries, and all those in the world who want peace.'
It was his strongest attack on Donald Trump since their public row in the White House three months ago, when US Vice President JD Vance accused Mr Zelensky of being 'disrespectful' to Trump, who told the Ukraine leader he should be more 'thankful' and that he had no 'cards' to play in negotiations with Russia. Both men were later accused of bullying Mr Zelensky.
Last month, Mr Trump criticised Putin and suggested a shift in his stance after a meeting Mr Zelensky before the Pope's funeral.
The scale of the latest missile attacks prompted the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, to call for 'the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war'.
She said: 'Last night's attacks again show Russia bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine. Devastating to see children among innocent victims.'
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said: 'A difficult Sunday morning in Ukraine after a sleepless night. The most massive Russian air attack in many weeks.'
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, said there had been 'already 10 injured in the capital'.
Mr Klitschko said a student college dormitory in the Holosiivskyi district had been hit by a drone and the building set on fire.
The attacks meant the popular Kyiv Day bank holiday – celebrated on the last Sunday in May – began with residents seeking shelter in metro stations and basements.
Ukraine Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, said 13 regions had been attacked in a 'ruthless strike aimed at civilians'. It has emerged that Russia is now able to manufacture drones at a much faster rate than before and the weapons are evolving. Shahed drones are now packed with more explosives and have technology enabling them to more successfully evade detection.
Ukraine said that over the entire weekend Russian strikes hit at least 22 separate locations. Russia said it had downed 110 Ukrainian drones.The latest attacks came a day after the Ukrainian capital Kyiv suffered one of the heaviest assaults since the start of the Russian invasion.
Saturday's attacks, which killed 13 people, came as diplomatic efforts resulted in prisoner exchanges. More than 500 Russian and Ukrainian prisoners were exchanged yesterday.
Russia's defence ministry said it was the final phase of the 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange the two sides had agreed to in the meeting between Kyiv and Moscow last week.
The talks in Istanbul were the first time the two sides had met face to face for peace talks since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, Trump and Putin had a two-hour phone call to discuss a US-proposed ceasefire deal. Trump said he believed the call had gone 'very well', and claimed Russia and Ukraine would immediately start' negotiations toward a ceasefire and 'an end to the war'.
Putin said Russia would work with Ukraine to craft a 'memorandum' on a 'possible future peace', but had not accepted a 30-day ceasefire.
Last night it was reported that Putin is amassing 50,000 troops for a fresh summer offensive on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city.
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