Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that Russia’s large-scale missile attack on Kyiv, the deadliest strike on the Ukrainian capital in months, was designed to put “pressure” on the United States.
He also insisted that Kyiv would not change its position on Crimea — after US President Donald Trump criticised him for not agreeing to cede the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
Zelensky is visiting South Africa but has said he will cut his trip short to return to Kyiv — hit at dawn by the biggest Russian attack since last summer — after his talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Russia understands that Ukraine is standing up, defending its rights and (it) is putting pressure on our people. It is also putting pressure on America,” Zelensky told journalists in South Africa. “This is what I also link today’s attack with.”
At least eight people were killed in Kyiv on Thursday, Zelensky calling the attack “one of the most sophisticated, most brazen” during Russia’s three-year invasion.
Thursday’s attack came hours after US President Donald Trump said a Ukraine peace deal was “very close” and effectively closed with Moscow.
Zelensky insisted that Kyiv would not accept Crimea as part of Russia.
Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 and backed a pro-Russian rebellion in eastern Ukraine, leading to years of conflict with Kyiv.
“We do everything that our partners have proposed, only what contradicts our legislation and the Constitution we cannot do,” Zelensky said, answering a question on Crimea.
Trump said a day earlier that Kyiv had lost Crimea “years ago”.
Zelensky also said he did not see enough pressure from Kyiv’s allies on Moscow to halt its invasion.
“I don’t see any strong pressure on Russia or any new sanctions packages against Russia’s aggression,” Zelensky told journalists during a visit to South Africa.
He did however acknowledge that Trump had previously warned of repercussions if Moscow did not agree to a ceasefire.