Zelensky invites Trump to visit Ukraine amid dismay over Russian massacre in Sumi

BarcelonaAmidst the wave of reactions by The massacre carried out by Russia in the Ukrainian city of Sumi –which left at least 34 dead–, the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has invited his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to visit Ukraine before to agree to any pact with Moscow to end the war"Please, before making any decisions or conducting any negotiations, come and see the people: civilians, combatants, hospitals, churches, wounded or dead children," the Ukrainian leader said in an interview with the program 60 minutes CBS, recorded before the massacre.

The Palm Sunday attack, in which a projectile hit a bus traveling through the city center, not only shocked the Ukrainian population but also dealt a severe blow to Trump's diplomatic efforts, as he had pledged to end the war in Ukraine. In fact, it was only a month ago that Moscow and Kiev agreed with the United States a 30-day truce on energy infrastructure of the country, which they have not fulfilled. Trump, who has set himself up as a negotiating figure between Kiev and Moscow, called the Russian attack a "mistake" by Putin. "I've been told they made a mistake," he said without giving details. "But I think it's a horrible thing."

The Ukrainian leader spoke with 60 minutes from his hometown of Krivi Rih, a week after a Russian missile killed 19 people, including nine children, near a playground. "If we don't stand firm, [Russian President Vladimir Putin] will advance further," said Zelensky, who warned that, given Putin's desire to regain territories under NATO protection, the conflict could escalate "into a world war."

On Monday, Moscow acknowledged launching two Iskander-type missiles at Sumi, but shrugged off responsibility for the massacre, claiming the attack was aimed at a meeting of Ukrainian officials. "Kyiv continues to use civilians as human shields," the Russian Defense Ministry stated. Along the same lines, the Kremlin spokesman defended the idea that Russia only attacks military targets and criticized the proposal by future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to send long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Despite the silence on Sumi, the Russian government has accused Ukraine of attacking its energy infrastructure up to eight times in the last 24 hours.

Putin is "mocking Trump's goodwill."

Following the attack, Zelensky called on the world to increase pressure on Russia. One of the first to react was French President Emmanuel Macron, who believes the Russian attack highlights "the urgent need to impose a ceasefire in Russia." The head of the Élysée Palace accuses Moscow of being the only party that wants this war and of showing this by "disregarding human lives, international law, and President Trump's diplomatic overtures."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed his "horror at Russia's horrific attacks against civilians in Sumi" and demanded that Putin agree now to "a full and immediate ceasefire without conditions." Along the same lines, European Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas said the attack on Sumi confirms that Putin "really wants war" and, therefore, called on member states at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday to continue increasing pressure on Moscow to end the invasion.

For Poland, which has been a pillar of Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, the attack confirms that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "mocking the goodwill" of the Trump administration. Meanwhile, for the future German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, it is clearly a "war crime."