Trump Urges Russia To Stop Pounding Ukraine Ahead of Peace Talks; Death Toll Rising

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

WASHINGTON/KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Undeterred by U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s threat to impose new sanctions and tariffs, Russia struck Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region late Friday, killing four people and wounding 18 others, officials said.

“As of now, there are four dead and 18 wounded,” in the strikes on the city of Dobropillia, confirmed Vadym Filashkin, head of Donetsk’s regional and military administrations.

It followed a wave of deadly Russian attacks on Ukraine this week, hitting the war-torn nation’s energy and gas infrastructure as well as civilian targets.

Those attacks were condemned by Trump, who, for the first time, sounded more critical toward Moscow. “Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Yet, he later told reporters that he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I believe him. I’m finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine, and they don’t have the cards,” he said. It may be easier dealing with Russia.”

European Union leaders — shaken by the prospect of U.S. disengagement from the war and European security more broadly agreed to boost spending and “rearm Europe” for 800 billion euros ($866 billion) at a crisis summit on Thursday.

It didn’t help that Trump cut off military aid and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) information to Ukraine.

With no intelligence to warn them, Thousands of Ukrainian troops who stormed into Russia’s Kursk region last August were almost surrounded by Russian forces Saturday.

It was a significant blow to Kyiv, which hoped to use its presence there as leverage for any peace talks with Russia.

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