U.S. President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin “CRAZY!” in rare criticism of the Kremlin chief, but he also blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for “making things harder” as the U.S. and Ukraine look toward a vague path to peace.
Zelenskyy said Monday that pressure needs to be ramped up against Putin.
“Only a sense of total impunity can allow Russia to carry out such strikes and continue increasing their scale. There is no real military logic to this, but there is significant political meaning. In doing this, Putin shows just how much he despises the world — the world that spends more effort on ‘dialogue’ with him than on real pressure,” the Ukrainian leader said in a statement.
“Like any criminal, Russia can only be constrained by force. Only through strength — the strength of the United States, of Europe, of all nations that value life — can these attacks be stopped and real peace achieved,” he added.
Earlier this month, Trump refused to impose new sanctions on Russia “because of the chance of getting something done” and he has also offered Putin many opportunities to end the “bloodbath.”
Ukrainian air defense forces shot down most of the drones and missiles, according to the air force. However, there were hits with tragic consequences.
Over the weekend, the Russian army attacked 13 Ukrainian regions, destroyed more than 80 houses and caused at least 27 fires. Twelve people died, including three children from one family in the Zhytomyr region. More than 70 people were injured, Ukrainian authorities reported.
