‘Horrified’: Donald Trump’s peace deal with Putin blows up in his face

A massive Russian strike on Kyiv, which killed at least twelve people and damaged buildings that hold the European Union and British diplomatic missions, has created serious doubt about the viability of peace negotiations supported by Donald Trump. The attack, which a Ukrainian minister said deliberately targeted diplomats, is being viewed by European leaders as a direct insult and a purposeful attempt to ruin efforts to end the conflict.

The overnight barrage of drones and ballistic missiles caused a lot of damage, but no European Union staff were injured. According to Politico, those staff will stay in the country, even with the danger. The European Union ambassador confirmed that the shockwave severely damaged the building. In Brussels, the European Union foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, called the strike a deliberate choice to escalate tensions and mock peace initiatives, which led to Russia’s envoy being summoned for a formal meeting.

Leaders across Europe reacted with fast and strong condemnation. French President Emmanuel Macron described the assault as an act of terror and barbarism. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated, “this cannot remain without consequences,” and confirmed the attacks would be a main topic at an upcoming meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

Russia says one thing and does another

The British Council office in Kyiv was also hit, which led to a similar response from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called the attacks senseless. He said, “Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace. This bloodshed must end.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa also gave their opinions, saying they were “horrified”, with Costa adding that the damage to the European Union building was “deliberate” and that the European Union would not be intimidated.

The timing of the attack is especially important because it happened at the same time as a ramp-up of peace efforts from Donald Trump. After a White House meeting with Ukrainian and European supporters, the Trump administration had signaled support for a European-led security force to assist Ukraine and provide intelligence. Trump had also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to a three-way meeting with him and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Recent actions and statements from Moscow stand in complete opposition to Trump’s optimistic claims. The Russian government has been avoiding direct peace negotiations and a meeting with Zelenskyy, all while doubling down on its demands. Moscow insists that Kyiv must give up the entire Donbas region, a condition Zelenskyy has ruled out, saying it would provide a strategic foothold for a future invasion.