Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before making any deal with Russia to end the war.
In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Zelensky urged Trump to witness the suffering of civilians, soldiers, and children affected by the war.
The interview was recorded before a deadly Russian missile strike in Sumy that killed 34 people and injured 117.
Russia claimed, without evidence, that it had targeted a meeting of Ukrainian soldiers in Sumy, killing 60 troops.
Trump said he was told the attack was a mistake but did not specify by whom.
Satellite images show the targeted conference center in Sumy was destroyed, with a massive crater left by the missile.
Local authorities have not confirmed a military meeting was held there, but a regional mayor has called for resignations if it did occur.
Russia has repeatedly targeted gatherings of Ukrainian troops, often causing civilian casualties, which are treated as collateral damage.
Despite attempts to mediate a ceasefire, Trump has not yet accepted Zelensky’s invitation to visit Ukraine.
So far, only Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from Trump’s team has visited Kyiv, reportedly to push for a mineral trade deal, which Zelensky refused.
Zelensky warned that Russia continues to target civilians, even as diplomatic talks with Trump’s team move forward.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has met Putin three times, raising concerns in Kyiv that Russia is exploiting these negotiations.
European leaders strongly condemned the Sumy attack, calling it a war crime and demanding stronger international action.
German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz described the attack as “perfidious” and a serious violation of international law.
French President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of disregarding human life and undermining diplomatic efforts.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the strike “barbaric” and stressed the need for strong action to enforce a ceasefire.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed horror at the attack, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate end to strikes on civilians.
The Sumy missile strike is the deadliest attack on Ukrainian civilians in 2025 so far.
A previous Russian missile attack in Kryvyi Rih on April 4 killed 20 people and injured 61.
Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured, and nearly 7 million Ukrainians are living as refugees.
