Trump Criticizes Zelensky: Should Hold Elections, End War

US President Donald Trump delivered sharp criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky overnight Saturday, accusing him of missing numerous opportunities to bring the war with Russia to an end.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Trump attacked the Ukrainian leader's conduct and called on him to hold elections in his country.

"He needs to hold elections. He could have settled this thing many times," the American president declared. Trump also addressed the economic consequences of the fighting in forceful terms: "He can't raise the price of oil, he's done enough."

In his remarks, Trump repeated his position - that the spark that led to the military confrontation with Russia would have been entirely preventable under his leadership: "This is a war that never should have happened. If I were president then it wouldn't have happened. President Zelensky could have solved the war or made a deal many times. I was there."

Trump's sharp statements came just one day after he announced a significant policy and economic move: an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply Russian diesel to the international market in order to curb rising fuel prices. As part of the move, the United States eased some of the economic sanctions imposed on diesel exports from Russia.

One of the Jewish families' apartments damaged in the strike (Photo: FJCU)

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continues to exact a heavy toll on the civilian population. Last week, 22 Ukrainian civilians were killed, including 5 children, in a missile attack launched by the Russian military on the city of Pryluky in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine. According to authorities, hundreds of homes were damaged across dozens of buildings.

The Chabad emissary and rabbi of the city of Chernihiv, Rabbi Yisrael Silberstein, who is also responsible for Pryluky, updated the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine that significant damage was caused to apartments of Jewish families living in the city. The apartments are located in two adjacent buildings that were hit, but despite the extensive damage to them, the residents were not injured.