U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg became the first U.S. official to react to Russia's overnight large-scale attack on Ukraine on May 25, calling for the end to hostilities.
"The indiscriminate killing of women and children at night in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to protect innocents. These attacks are shameful," Kellogg said on X without explicitly naming Russia. "Stop the killing. Ceasefire now."
This is Kyiv. The indiscriminate killing of women and children at night in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols designed to protect innocents. These attacks are shameful. Stop the killing. Ceasefire now. pic.twitter.com/89XRWZcP21
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) May 25, 2025
Russia launched 69 missiles and 298 drones overnight on May 25, according to Ukraine's Air Force. The attack killed 12 people, including three children, and injured more than 60, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.
Trump has not yet publicly commented on the overnight attacks on May 25.
Following the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for stronger sanctions on Russia and added that "America’s silence, and the silence of others around the world, only encourages (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."
Trump on May 8 said the U.S. would join partners in imposing "further sanctions" if Russia does not agree to an unconditional ceasefire. Despite numerous threats, Trump has never followed through on imposing additional sanctions against Russia.
European leaders have urged the U.S. to impose additional sanctions on Russia to pressure it toward a ceasefire, with EU leaders threatening and subsequently adopting additional sanctions in response to Russia's ceasefire rejections.
Following a two-hour phone call with Putin on May 19, Trump refused to adopt additional sanctions on Moscow, despite Putin again rejecting a 30-day ceasefire.
On May 20 Axios reported that European leaders reportedly seemed "surprised" that Trump was "relatively content" with what he heard from Putin, following a call with European leaders after Trump's conversation with Putin.
When asked about potential sanctions against Russia, the U.S. president said he did not think it was a good idea, adding that he believes Putin wants a deal.
The New York Times reported on May 20, citing a White House official, that Trump refuses to impose sanctions on Russia as it may hinder future business and trade opportunities with Moscow.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia said in an interview aired on May 24 on Ukraine's national telethon that Russia's negotiating team in Istanbul has repeatedly stated that "an unconditional ceasefire is categorically unacceptable."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on May 24 cast doubt on the Vatican as a possible venue for future peace talks with Ukraine.
"Imagine the Vatican as a venue for negotiations," Lavrov reportedly said during a speech at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. “It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to use a Catholic platform to discuss issues on how to remove the root causes (of the war)."
Kyiv Independent
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