Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the United States’ “silence” is encouraging Russia, after Russia struck regions across Ukraine in its largest air raid of the war so far.
Russia launched 298 drones and 69 missiles at Ukraine over the weekend, killing at least 12. The attacks hit Kyiv while the city was observing the Kyiv Day holiday, as well as eastern cities like Kharkiv, southern cities like Odesa, and western cities like Ternopil.
“The silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “Every such terrorist Russian strike is reason enough for new sanctions against Russia."
“With every such strike, the world sees more clearly that it is Moscow that’s prolonging this war,” Zelenskyy said.
U.S. President Donald Trump had said that Russia and Ukraine would immediately begin ceasefire negotiations last week after a call with Putin. However, Russian officials denied that they had committed to a specific timeline for a ceasefire.
Trump said after Russia’s strikes that he was “not happy with Putin", and would consider additional sanctions. “What the hell happened to him? Right? He’s killing a lot of people. I’m not happy about that,” he said.
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators last week introduced legislation that would impose major new sanctions on Russia if it does not agree to negotiate with Ukraine. The bill would add a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that purchase Russian oil and gas.
Russia and Ukraine also completed a previously planned prisoner exchange on Sunday amid Russia’s assault, swapping just over 300 Ukrainian prisoners of war for the same number of Russian prisoners. “We will definitely bring back every single one of our people from Russian captivity,” wrote Zelenskyy on X.
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