Trump's reaction to horrific missile strike only adds to fears he will abandon Ukraine

Western leaders send a message to Trump that Putin is not a ‘man of peace’ after horrific Russia missile attack on Kyiv

The deadly missile strike on Kyiv’s Sviatoshinsky district provided a grimly eloquent statement of Vladimir Putin’s true intentions for all the world to see. This was no military target. Instead, Kyiv Post reported it was a “densely populated area” and that a school had been badly damaged.

As relatives grieved for their dead loved ones, most Western leaders condemned Putin. European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wrote: “While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv. This isn't a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it. The real obstacle is not Ukraine but Russia, whose war aims have not changed.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted: “We condemn Russia’s latest vicious attacks on Kyiv and across Ukraine, killing and injuring dozens of civilians... These are not the actions of a man of peace.” And Keir Starmer added that the attack was a “real reminder that Russia is the aggressor here”.

The aftermath of a 'massive' Russian missile strike on a residential area of Ukrainian capital Kyiv | AFP via Getty Images

A sickening reminder

Meanwhile, the supposed leader of the free world, Donald Trump, declared himself to be “not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv”, adding “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!”

Social media can tend towards the clumsy use of language but being “not happy” about an act of mass murder demonstrates a shocking absence of empathy. And Trump’s use of Putin’s first name – particularly after berating “Zelensky” and claiming the Ukrainian president was an obstacle to peace – was a sickening reminder of how close they sometimes appear.

Concern about Trump’s intentions crosses party lines in the UK. Asked whether he could still be considered an ally, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “President Zelensky is a hero... They are fighting this war on behalf of all of Europe. Russia is the opponent here, they are not an ally. And President Trump may have a different view, perhaps because of how they have been supporting Ukraine and the money they have spent...”

If Trump’s threat to abandon the peace process turns into the abandonment of Ukraine, Europe must quickly step into the sizable breach in Ukraine’s defences, with money and military support. It will be expensive, but there should be no doubt, Putin must be stopped.