In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic rhetoric, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 23, 2025, declaring, “Vladimir, STOP!” after a Russian airstrike killed 12 in Kyiv, marking the deadliest attack on Ukraine’s capital since July 2024, per AP News.
The strike, part of intensified Russian drone and missile assaults, defied Putin’s announced Easter ceasefire, which began April 19 and was meant to last until midnight April 20, as reported by Reuters. Trump’s all-caps message, posted on Truth Social, underscored U.S. efforts to broker peace, with envoy Keith Kellogg dispatched to Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, responding via Telegram, accused Russia of feigning ceasefire compliance while continuing attacks, per AP News. The Kyiv strike targeted civilian infrastructure, injuring 30 and prompting Zelenskyy to vow defensive retaliation.
Russia’s actions followed a prisoner exchange, the largest since the 2022 invasion, highlighting mixed signals. Trump’s intervention, backed by Vice President JD Vance’s Vatican talks on conflict resolution, reflects U.S. pressure to de-escalate, though Putin offered no monitoring details for the ceasefire, per AP News.