Russian forces were spotted mocking Trump’s capitulation to Vladimir Putin during their peace summit by attaching American flags to their vehicles as they rode into battle in Ukraine.
Video footage first shared by Kremlin propaganda network RT showed Russian troops cruising into battle in a captured American M113 APC, which they described as a “trophy,” while flying both the U.S. and Russian flags in tandem.
“How should this be understood? Russian propagandists are showing a video where Russian equipment goes on the attack with flags of Russia and the USA,” said Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office and Volodymyr Zelesnky’s right-hand man.
“In fact, Russians are using United States symbols in their own terrorist, aggressive war with the killing of civilian people. Maximum audacity,” he added.
The move comes just hours before President Trump meets with Zelensky and other European leaders for high-level peace talks at the White House following his summit with Putin in Alaska last Friday.
While little official progress was made during the meeting, Trump has since been parroting Russian talking points and putting pressure on Zelensky to accept a peace deal which many view as overly-favorable to the invading forces, demanding Ukraine cede its occupied territory to Russia in exchange for freezing the frontlines.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to,” Trump said in a rant on Truth Social on Monday, which also saw him demand Ukraine stay out of NATO and accuse Barack Obama of escalating the conflict in Ukraine by “giving” Crimea to Russia in 2014, when it was illegally annexed by Kremlin forces.
“The Russians have already declared the United States an ally and are storming Mala Tokmachka in M113 armoured personnel carriers... with Russian and American flags,” said Petr Andryushchenko, Ukraine’s head of the Centre for the Study of the Occupation.
“This is the logical conclusion to all of Trump’s absurdity. And all of this is on the official propaganda channel of Russia Today. There are no words.”
Putin meanwhile has shown no desire to submit to the president’s wishes, and flaunted his authority by launching a fresh wave of missile strikes in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia ahead of the summit on Monday which have killed seven civilians and injured 20 more.
Six children aged 6 to 17 were among those injured in the attack on Kharkiv, with a toddler and 16-year-old boy confirmed dead as a result of the attack, Reuters reports.
Responding to the attack, Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks were “demonstrative” proof of Russia’s intentions and showed they had no intention of ending the war.
“Russians are deliberately killing people, particularly children,” Zelensky said. “As of now, seven people have been killed as a result of the drone strike in Kharkiv, the youngest being a girl who is only a year and a half old, and dozens have been injured, including children.”
He added: “Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts”.
“That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings. That is why reliable security guarantees are required. That is why Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war.
“The war must be ended. And it is Moscow that must hear the word: ‘Stop.’”
Trump however has continued to urge Kyiv to “make a deal” with the Russian autocrat, previously telling Zelensky that “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.”
