US President Donald Trump on Thursday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop attacks on Ukraine.
“Vladimir, stop!” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform after Russia pounded the Ukrainian capital with missiles and drones overnight, leaving at least eight people dead. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv. Not necessary and very bad timing.”
The comments were a sharp turn from a social media post a day before, when Mr Trump said Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was derailing peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine by insisting that Russia give up occupied Crimea.
“We're in the midst of talking peace and missiles were fired, and I was not happy with it,” Mr Trump later explained.
Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance both assailed Mr Zelenskyy in a meeting in the Oval Office last month, accusing the Ukrainian leader of not being grateful for US support.
On Thursday, Mr Trump met Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store at the White House. Former Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, who is now Norway's Finance Minister, also attended.
“We're putting a lot of pressure on Russia,” Mr Trump said, adding that it would be “difficult” for Ukraine to get territory in Crimea back.
Earlier, he said he had his “own deadline” for when he believes Ukraine and Russia should come to an agreement to end the war. “We want it to be fast.”
Mr Trump, who took office in January, had campaigned on a promise to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine. As part of his “America first” foreign policy agenda, he also wants to cut US military aid to Ukraine and for European allies to contribute more funds through Nato.
Mr Trump said Moscow was willing to make concessions: "Stopping the war, stopping taking the whole country, pretty big concession."
On Wednesday, he said he may meet Mr Putin after his trip to the Middle East next month. He also said the Russian leader has “a certain respect” for him.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte met Mr Trump on Thursday after meeting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. Talks were primarily focused on Ukraine and come after efforts to pursue a peace deal fell short in London on Wednesday.
"What I'm seeing here is a United States and a leader in President Trump who was first to break the deadlock. I think when you look at the outcome of the meeting yesterday in London, we can be quite positive on where we are," Mr Rutte told reporters outside the White House.
"So I'm not seeing a situation where the US is walking. I'm seeing a situation that under President Trump's leadership could bring this to a positive end."
He said there was a "total" US commitment to Nato, as well as commitment from alliance members "to speed up the spending in Europe, do more ourselves".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled attending the talks between US, European and Ukrainian officials after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to accept an American peace plan that involved giving up sovereignty over Crimea, leading to an angry response on social media from Mr Trump.
Mr Trump has consistently used a softer tone when discussing Mr Putin than he has with Mr Zelenskyy, who he has previously called a “dictator”.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said it would be “very unfair” to draw the conclusion that the US has been asking more of Ukraine than it has of Russia in peace talks.
“These are the best diplomats in the world,” Ms Bruce told reporters. “It is about getting the carnage to stop.”
