These soldiers on the front lines are not asking for money,” Burns wrote in a Twitter post on March 31, after visiting several towns near Kyiv on the third anniversary of their liberation. “They are asking for 1,

"The war in Ukraine is bigger than Democrats or Republicans, the Left or the Right. Whether you dislike President Trump or President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, real people are dying here," Pastor Mark Burns said.

Hundreds of Americans have fought in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began. At least 50 have been killed, 40 of whom were former U.S. service members.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Monday for Russia to be punished for more than 183,000 alleged war crimes documented by Ukraine since Moscow's 2022 invasion, saying justice was needed to prevent "evil from proliferating.

The assault underscored the deep mistrust between Russia and Ukraine as U.S.-mediated talks about a partial cease-fire began in Saudi Arabia.

Russia has convicted 23 captured Ukrainians on terrorism charges stemming from the war in Ukraine in a trial that Kyiv denounced as a sham and a violation of international law.

Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin's negotiating position in ceasefire talks, Ukrainian government and military analysts said.