Putin snubs Trump's crystal clear plea to ‘STOP' & launches MORE civilian strikes after Don claimed tyrant ‘wants peace'
MAD Vladimir Putin blatantly ignored Donald Trump's desperate plea to "STOP" and launched more deadly strikes after the US President claimed the tyrant wants peace.
The dictator used lethal kamikaze drones to strike Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv overnight, triggering deadly explosions and fires as he showed clear defiance to the US president's demand.
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Apocalyptic scenes were captured across the city after Iranian Shaheds were launched - just one day after a dozen civilians were killed and more than 90 wounded in a barbaric onslaught on Kyiv.
Meanwhile in central east Pavlohrad, three people were killed - including a child and a 76-year-old woman.
Eight more were wounded in the horror onslaught, with six hospitalised, after an apartment building was cruelly hit.
Another four died and six were wounded in Russian shelling of Donetsk and Kherson regions.
The latest bloodshed came hours after Trump condemned the Russian dictator after the massive missile blitz on Kyiv, demanding: "Vladimir, STOP!"
The White House leader was asked if he thought Putin would listen to his demand, to which he responded: "I'm confident."
But he also insisted that the tyrant's savage blitzing of the Ukrainian capital didn't mean the Kremlin dictator was against peace.
Don added: "We are putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and Russia knows it. It takes two to tango, just like it takes two to make a deal.
"Stopping the war, stopping from taking the whole country [Ukraine], pretty big concession."
Just days ago the Republican also labelled brave Volodymyr Zelensky as the key obstacle to a Ukraine peace deal.
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JD Vance had issued a final ultimatum to both Kyiv and Moscow - warning they must accept the terms of a proposed US peace plan or risk Washington walking away for good.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday: "I think Russia is ready and a lot of people said Russia wanted to go for the whole thing.
"And I think we have a deal with Russia - we have to get a deal with Zelensky.'
He added: 'I think we have a deal with both. I hope they do it. You would never have had that war if I was president.'
Don then went on to blast Zelensky's refusal to negotiate over Crimea in a fiery Truth Social post.
He insisted that a peace deal was 'very close' - but only if Zelensky stops 'boasting' and finally 'gets it done.'
The president ramped up pressure on the Ukrainian leader, warning that Kyiv's refusal to compromise on Crimea risks prolonging the war and pushing Ukraine closer to collapse.
'We are very close to a Deal, but the man with 'no cards to play' should now, finally, GET IT DONE,' Trump wrote.
'He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country.'
The majority of the lengthy post targeted Zelensky's recent statement to the Wall Street Journal that Ukraine 'will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea.'
And in February, DOn reportedly said that he trusted the tyrant "wants peace," adding: "I think he would tell me if he didn't."
The latest heinous attack comes as Kyiv 's mayor Vitali Klitschko admitted Ukraine may need to succumb to Putin's evil territory demands to stop the bloody war.
Speaking on Thursday after the attack on Ukraine's capital, the former world heavyweight boxing champion said: "One of the scenarios is [...] to give up territory.
"It's not fair. But for the peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be a solution."
Klitschko's comments admitting that the war-torn country may have to give up land are the first from a senior Ukrainian politician since negotiations led by the US began in February.
Brave Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky hinted in November that he could be willing to relinquish territory temporarily, but on the condition that the rest of his country were given Nato protection.
Meanwhile inside Russia, wooden churches and chapels known as New Jerusalem burned to rubble following what authorities said was the dropping of explosives devices from a Ukrainian drone.
One Russian report said: 'The Ukrainian Armed Forces did not allow rescuers to extinguish the building, constantly attacking it with drones."
Two Russian servicemen were killed and five more wounded in the village of Kryukovo, Belgorod region, reports claim.
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Ukrainian drones overnight also attacked two airfields in Crimea in a massive kamikaze swarm.
The damage was not yet clear but Russia said it had shot down 59 drones.
Ukraine also struck Shuya in Ivanovo region, where the 112th missile brigade is located, for the third time as of recent.
The horror overnight blitz comes as Putin is to hold more talks in Moscow with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has arrived in the Russian capital.
It will be the fourth meeting the pair have within three months.
Putin's leading TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov said the new warm relations between Moscow and Washington should chillingly see the two leaders gang up on the European 'idiots'.
The Putin puppet said: "As expected, Zelensky actually disrupted the [Ukraine peace deal] meeting in London.
"Although we realise that, of course, it was not Zelensky at all. He was following the instructions of the Europeans.
'The British are behind all this. But another thing is important.
'It is important that while they are united against America, maybe we should unite with America - and hit Europe so hard that it will not be a big deal?
Zelensky 'cornered' by Trump's fury after Putin's barbaric Kyiv attack
'That would put the idiots in their place.'
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said a ceasefire could be in place by as soon as summer - but he warned Trump that it mustn't be imposed on war-torn Ukraine by the US.
Reports say Western diplomats are 'extremely alarmed' by Trump's draft deal, which apparently shows to Putin among other dictators that illegal conquest 'can be rewarded'.
But Britain is pulling back from putting troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of a 'coalition of the willing', according to The Times.
Britain and France would instead focus on air and sea defence, and training Ukrainians, according to this scenario.
One source revealed: 'The risks are too high, and there are not enough forces to carry out such a task."
It comes as The Telegraph reported on a seven-point peace plan being drawn up by the US, which could allow Russia to keep various land seized from Ukraine.
According to the plan, Putin would stay close to the territory his cannon fodder troops have seized from Zelensky, as outlined in an unconfirmed seven-point plan to end the war.
It would leave Ukraine with no clear US security guarantee.
And includes the US offering formal recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea while implying de facto recognition of other occupied territories.
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