Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended an open invitation to Donald Trump, urging the former U.S. president to visit Ukraine before making any potential deal with Russia to end the ongoing war.
“Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead,”
Zelensky said in an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes.
The interview was recorded before a devastating Russian missile strike on the city of Sumy, which killed 34 people and injured 117 others.
Russia claimed it only targets military or military-related sites. Trump, in response, stated he had been informed the attack was a mistake—though he did not specify the source of that information.
Latest Attack in Sumy Draws International Outrage
The ballistic missile strike on Sumy marks the deadliest civilian attack in Ukraine this year. The bombing has drawn sharp condemnation from across the globe.
German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz called the attack a “serious war crime,” stating:
“It was a perfidious act.. and it is a serious war crime, deliberate and intended.”
Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the attack demonstrates “just what Russia’s supposed readiness for peace [was] worth.”
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed the sentiments, saying:
“Strong measures are needed to impose a ceasefire on Russia… France is working tirelessly toward this goal, alongside its partners.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the attack as “barbaric,” adding:
“Russia was and remains the aggressor, in blatant violation of international law.
Strong measures are urgently needed to enforce a ceasefire. Europe will continue to reach out to partners and maintain strong pressure on Russia until the bloodshed ends and a just and lasting peace is achieved, on Ukraine’s terms and conditions.”
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “appalled at Russia’s horrific attacks on civilians in Sumy.”
Trump’s Role and the Push for Ceasefire
The attack came as the U.S. under Trump has continued to pursue negotiations aimed at ending the war—now entering its fourth year.
Asked about the Sumy strike, Trump described it as “terrible,” adding:
“I’ve been told they made a mistake.”
Earlier, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired Lt-Gen Keith Kellogg, condemned the missile strike, saying it had “crossed any line of decency.”
However, it’s still unclear whether Trump will accept Zelensky’s invitation to visit Ukraine. So far, Scott Bessent, Trump’s Treasury Secretary, is the only high-ranking official from his team to have visited Kyiv. His trip, however, was controversial—he reportedly pressed Zelensky to sign a mineral trade contract in exchange for continued military aid, which Zelensky refused due to its U.S.-weighted terms.
Concerns Over Putin Talks and Civilian Safety
Zelensky continues to emphasize the danger of negotiating with Moscow without acknowledging the ongoing civilian toll. Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has already met Russian President Vladimir Putin three times as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire.
Kyiv has voiced concern that these meetings could be exploited by Russia, as it continues its territorial encroachments and strikes against civilians.
UN and Global Response
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the UN was “deeply alarmed and shocked” by the Sumy attack, stating:
“Attacks against civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and that any such attacks, wherever they occur, must end immediately.”
Guterres reiterated the UN’s support for a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
Ongoing Conflict and Humanitarian Toll
The 13 April double missile strike in Sumy is part of a wider pattern. Earlier this month, a similar attack in Kryvyi Rih killed 20 people and injured 61. Russia claimed it had targeted a meeting of “unit commanders and Western instructors” in a restaurant but provided no evidence.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022, hundreds of thousands—mostly soldiers—have been killed or injured on both sides. The UN estimates nearly 7 million Ukrainians are currently living as refugees abroad.
The roots of the conflict stretch back to 2014, when Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was ousted. Russia subsequently annexed Crimea and began backing insurgents in Ukraine’s eastern regions, igniting a long-running war.
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