Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on US President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine and witness the devastation caused by Russia’s ongoing invasion. This plea comes as Trump downplayed Moscow’s recent deadly missile attack on civilians, the worst in 2023, which killed 34 people in Sumy, including two children. The attack, which occurred on Palm Sunday, saw two ballistic missiles strike the city, one of which exploded near a crowded trolleybus, leaving over 100 injured. Despite the severity of the attack, Trump labelled it as “a mistake,” a comment that has sparked outrage in Ukraine.
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The Kremlin has denied targeting civilians, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claiming that Russia’s military targets only military-related facilities. However, Russia’s Ministry of Defence indirectly acknowledged civilian casualties, accusing Ukraine of using its population as “human shields” by placing military installations in populated areas. Trump’s comments also included a critique of President Joe Biden, claiming that the war would never have started if he had been in office. These remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainians, who believe that Trump has failed to condemn or confront Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions.
Zelenskyy, in an interview with CBS, urged Trump to visit Ukraine before making any further decisions or negotiations regarding the war. He insisted that foreign leaders should not rely on “propaganda tours” but instead see firsthand the destruction inflicted upon civilians and the country’s infrastructure. The Ukrainian president expressed his frustration with senior US officials who, in his view, have adopted Russian talking points, distorting the reality of the conflict and portraying Russia as a legitimate actor rather than an aggressor.
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Despite Zelenskyy’s appeal for a ceasefire, which Kyiv has agreed to, the situation continues to deteriorate as Russia’s bombardment of Ukrainian cities escalates. Zelenskyy remains sceptical of any peace efforts, emphasising that Putin’s goal is not peace but the complete destruction of Ukraine’s sovereignty. He warned that if Putin’s expansionist ambitions are not stopped, the conflict could spiral into a global war, with the Russian dictator seeking to resurrect the Russian Empire and reclaim territories under NATO protection.
