Zelensky urges Trump to visit Ukraine before deal with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended an invitation to Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before making any agreements with Russia to end the ongoing war.

“Please, before any kind of decisions or negotiations, come and see the people — the civilians, the soldiers, the hospitals, churches, the children who have been killed or wounded,” Zelensky urged during an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes.

The interview was conducted prior to a deadly Russian missile strike on the city of Sumy on Sunday, which left 34 people dead and 117 injured.

Russia, without presenting evidence, claimed it had targeted a gathering of Ukrainian troops with two Iskander missiles, allegedly killing 60 soldiers. Trump commented that he had heard it was a mistake, though he did not clarify the source of that information.

At Least 34 Killed in Russian Missile Strike on Sumy as Global Pressure Mounts on Moscow

A Russian ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy has killed at least 34 people and injured 117, drawing sharp condemnation from Western leaders and renewing calls for a ceasefire. The strike obliterated a local conference center, leaving a massive crater and the building’s roof completely destroyed.

Russia claimed the site had hosted a gathering of Ukrainian military personnel and asserted—without providing evidence—that the strike killed 60 soldiers. Ukrainian officials have not confirmed such a meeting took place. However, Sumy's regional mayor has demanded resignations from local security officials if the reports are proven true.

Gatherings of military personnel are frequently targeted by Russia, often with civilian casualties seen as acceptable collateral damage throughout the invasion. This latest attack underscores the continued human toll as the war, now in its fourth year, rages on.

As efforts for peace ramp up, U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Russia to "get moving" on a ceasefire. But when asked about the Sumy strike, he described it as “terrible,” adding only that he was “told they made a mistake” without offering further detail.

Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, condemned the attack, saying it had crossed “any line of decency.” Yet Trump has not confirmed whether he will accept Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation to visit Ukraine before entering any negotiations with Russia.

So far, only U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has visited Kyiv from Trump’s senior team. His visit focused on pressuring Zelensky to accept a resource deal favoring Washington in exchange for continued military aid—an offer Zelensky ultimately refused.

Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has reportedly met with Russian President Vladimir Putin three times in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials fear Moscow is using the talks to buy time while continuing its territorial advances.

European leaders have denounced the Sumy strike in strong terms. Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, labeled the attack a “serious war crime” and a “perfidious act.” Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the bombing revealed "what Russia's supposed readiness for peace is truly worth."

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia’s "blatant disregard for human lives, international law, and President Trump’s diplomatic efforts," while calling for stronger measures to enforce a ceasefire.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the assault as “barbaric,” insisting that “Russia remains the aggressor” and stressing the need for a “just and lasting peace—on Ukraine’s terms.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also weighed in, saying he was "appalled by Russia’s horrific attacks on civilians in Sumy."

With fresh pledges of €21 billion in military aid from Ukraine's allies, the international community appears determined to maintain pressure on Moscow—even as diplomatic overtures continue behind the scenes.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed and shocked” by the recent missile strike in Sumy.

“Attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately, wherever they occur,” the spokesperson said.

Guterres reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting “genuine efforts toward a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace—one that fully respects Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”

Sunday’s twin missile strike marked the deadliest assault on civilians in Ukraine so far this year.

Earlier this month, on April 4, another Russian missile attack struck the city of Kryvyi Rih, killing 20 people and wounding 61. At the time, Russia’s defense ministry claimed it had hit a meeting of “unit commanders and Western instructors” inside a restaurant, but provided no supporting evidence.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, hundreds of thousands of people—primarily soldiers—are believed to have been killed or injured across both sides.

Nearly seven million Ukrainians have fled the country and are now living as refugees, according to UN estimates.

The roots of the conflict date back to 2014, when Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was ousted, prompting Moscow to annex Crimea and support separatist fighters in a war that has simmered ever since in eastern Ukraine.

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