Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky criticized the Ukrainian US embassy for its “unexpectedly unsatisfactory” reaction to Russia’s attack in Zelensky’s hometown of Kliviy Lee.
On Saturday, Zelensky posted on X, accusing the US embassy of hesitating to mention Russia when addressing Friday’s strike that resulted in at least 19 fatalities and 70 injuries.
“Sadly, the response from the US embassy is unexpectedly unsatisfactory. A nation as powerful as this, yet such a feeble reply,” Zelensky wrote. “They are even hesitant to utter the word ‘Russian’ when referring to the missiles that took the lives of children.”
Following the deadly Russian assault on Krivii Li, Ukraine’s U.S. ambassador to Bridget Bridget stated, “We were horrified that a ballistic missile struck close to a playground and restaurant in Cliviy Li. More than 50 individuals, including six children, have been injured, and 16 lost their lives. This is why the conflict must come to a close.”
Zelensky concurred in a Saturday morning message that three years of warfare in Eastern Europe “must conclude.”
“However, to bring it to an end, we should not be intimidated to call things by their true names. We should not shy away from exerting pressure on those perpetuating this conflict and disregarding global calls for peace,” Zelensky stated.
“We must apply pressure on Russia, which opts to kill children instead of choosing to pursue a ceasefire. There should be heightened sanctions on those who can only thrive through ballistic attacks on adjacent nations,” the Ukrainian leader emphasized. “We need to do everything in our power to preserve lives.”
The assault on Kryvyi Rih was condemned by various European leaders, including senior European Union official Kaja Kallas. She remarked on Friday that Russia is “continuing to devastate Ukraine and shows no interest in peace.”
“It is crucial that this Russian strike on the city does not go unanswered by the global community. Support for Krivii Lee and Ukraine has been overwhelming yesterday and today,” Zelensky stated.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed the attack on Friday was a “precision strike with explosive missiles” aimed at a “restaurant” where “the formation and commander of Western instructors were gathered.”
“The outcomes of the strike resulted in enemy losses accounting for up to 85 military personnel and foreign officers, in addition to approximately 20 vehicles,” the ministry reported on Telegram.
Since taking office in January, President Trump’s administration has been working to broker a ceasefire between both parties. The US indicated last week that a deal had been struck between two Eastern European nations to cease the “use of force” in the Black Sea and energy sectors.
“We count on an agreement with the US president who has vowed to assist us in finding more patriots,” Zelensky said on Saturday. “And we anticipate the unity of the world to triumph over this evil. This war, this Russian aggression.”
