Trump again surprised by Russian missiles on Kyiv

US President Donald Trump said he was "surprised" by the Russian airstrikes amid talks he had considered "almost complete," during a White House briefing.

"I saw things that I was very surprised by. Rockets are being launched at cities like Kyiv during negotiations that I thought were very close to being concluded. We were going to solve the problem, and then suddenly rockets are being launched at cities and people are dying," he said.

The surprise, as Trump noted, was unpleasant.

"I don't like to be surprised, so I'm very disappointed in this regard," he said.

However, despite his "disappointment," Trump expressed hope that the war could be stopped.

"I wish this would end," he said.

The US president has once again refused to directly condemn the actions of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin .

In response to a journalist who asked how Trump should deal with "stubborn Putin," the US president added that " Zelensky is also stubborn."

• On December 29, White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said the United States hopes Russia and Ukraine will begin direct talks next week in Istanbul, which she said is in line with US President Donald Trump's plans to end the Russia-Ukraine war.