US politics live: ‘Weak’: Zelensky slams US response to Russian missile strike in his hometown

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the US of being “weak” and “afraid to say the word ‘Russian’” when discussing the deaths of Ukrainian children.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has slammed the US embassy for what he called a “weak” statement that did not blame Russia for a missile strike on his hometown which killed 18 people, including nine children.

In an emotional statement on social media, Mr Zelensky named each of the children killed in the attack, accusing the US embassy of avoiding referring to Russia as the aggressor.

“Unfortunately, the reaction of the American Embassy is unpleasantly surprising: such a strong country, such a strong people - and such a weak reaction,” he wrote on Saturday.

“They are even afraid to say the word ‘Russian’ when talking about the missile that killed the children.”

Mr Zelensky singled out the US for criticism as President Donald Trump has pushed for a partial ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine while seeking a thaw in ties with Moscow.

Meanwhile, world markets continue to be rocked by Mr Trump’s tariffs announcement.

All eyes are on whether stock market falls will be temporary or if this signals the beginning of a crash.

An analyst said $8 trillion had been wiped off global stock markets as Mr Trump’s actions led to “shockwaves in every corner of the world”.

UK PM Kier Starmer has revealed he held emergency tariff talks with Anthony Albanese.

Mr Starmer said the “global economic landscape had shifted” and an “all-out trade war would be extremely damaging”.

China, on Friday, retaliated to the US by putting a 34 per cent tariff on many US goods and barring imports of some other American products completely.

The world’s biggest bank JPMorganChase has said there is now a 60 per cent chance of a recession, which could spread globally.

But Donald Trump remains insistent that his tariffs plans augers a “golden age “of America with tariff income and more domestic jobs.

Read on for more updates.

Originally published as US politics live: ‘Weak’: Zelensky slams US response to Russian missile strike in his hometown