Fox News reported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has delivered a fresh blow to President Donald Trump, demanding US action after a Russian strike he called “brutally savage” killed more than 20 civilians. The attack ripped through the rural town of Yarova in Donetsk as pensions were being handed out. “Directly on people. Ordinary civilians. At the very moment when pensions were being disbursed,” Zelensky said in an X post on Tuesday. He added: “The Russians continue destroying lives while avoiding new strong sanctions and new strong blows.
“The world must not remain silent. The world must not remain idle… Strong actions are needed to make Russia stop bringing death.” The Donetsk’s region’s governor Vadym Filashkin said the assault could not be seen as a military operation, describing it instead as “pure terrorism,” according to the Kyiv Independent. His message on Telegram came as graphic footage of the aftermath spread across social media.
Zelensky directly appealed to the US, Europe and the G-20. His demand comes as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte heads to the UK for a Ukraine Defense Contact Group summit.
The White House has yet to comment on either the strike or Zelensky’s demand for tougher action.
But Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly signalled that ending the war in Ukraine is a priority, recently holding talks with both Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Last month Trump became the first US president since 2021 to sit down with Putin face-to-face during a high-stakes Alaska summit.
Despite hopes for a breakthrough, the meeting ended without a ceasefire. Both leaders insisted progress had been made, but Zelensky later blasted the talks.
Speaking to ABC’s Martha Raddatz, he said: “It’s a pity that Ukraine was not there, because I think President Trump gave Putin what he wanted.”
The sharp rebuke marked a humiliating moment for Trump, whose critics say his eagerness to deal directly with Putin risks sidelining Ukraine at a time when the country is pleading for stronger international support.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, tens of thousands have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes.
Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end the war once he was re-elected, while critics argue his warm approach to Putin risks weakening Western unity at a crucial moment for Ukraine’s survival.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022, Ukraine has faced relentless aerial and ground assaults, prompting widespread devastation and a massive humanitarian crisis.
Western powers—led by the US and the EU—have slapped sanctions on Moscow, but loopholes remain while fighting continues.
Trump, who earlier halted military and intelligence aid to Ukraine following a public bust-up with Zelensky, later reversed course after a US–Ukraine ceasefire deal.