President Donald Trump has shown strong frustration with Russia after recent attacks on Ukraine. He has called on Vladimir Putin to stop the fighting and sign a proposed peace agreement. This statement came after a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican, just before Pope Francis’s funeral.
Trump said the meeting went well and noted that Zelenskyy seemed more relaxed and open to discussing a possible peace deal. However, Trump also strongly criticized the Russian strikes, calling them unacceptable, especially since peace talks are still happening.
Trump said, “I want him to stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal, very disappointed that they did the bombing of those places (including Kyiv, where nine people were killed in a Russian airstrike on Friday) after discussions.”
Trump claims he wants Russia to ‘stop shooting’
The proposed peace deal, which has not been fully revealed, is said to include a highly disputed condition: officially recognizing Crimea as part of Russia. This has been a major sticking point, as Zelenskyy has firmly refused to give up any claim to Crimea. Trump mentioned that Zelenskyy briefly brought up Crimea during their meeting but shifted blame for the issue to past U.S. administrations under Obama and Biden.
His comments suggest that the proposed agreement would settle other parts of the conflict in exchange for Ukraine accepting the loss of Crimea. This makes the deal potentially significant but also very controversial because of its terms. Despite the difficulties, Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared a somewhat hopeful view.
He said that peace talks are nearer to a solution than they have been in years, though success is still not certain. Rubio pointed out how complicated the conflict is, explaining that the long duration of the war shows how hard it is to reach a lasting peace agreement.
Another complicating factor is North Korea’s confirmed decision to send troops to fight with Russia. Reports from North Korean state media say their soldiers have already joined battles, helping push back Ukrainian forces, likely in the Kursk region. Kim Jong Un’s choice to send troops strengthens the growing military partnership between North Korea and Russia, making their alliance more solid as the war continues.
This move gave Russia more military support and changed the strategic balance of the war. It also marks a major escalation in the conflict, with effects beyond just the fighting on the ground.
Published: Apr 28, 2025 10:00 am