Trump Blames Zelensky as Russia's Attack on Sumy Kills 35 Civilians

Iruni Kalupahana
2 days ago
2 min read

Iruni Kalupahana, JadeTimes Staff

I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war

After a deadly Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, ex-US President Donald Trump once again stirred controversy by incriminating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the war. The strike killed at least 35 and injured 117 others and is the deadliest civilian attack in Ukraine this year.

Speaking to the White House on Monday, Trump accused Zelensky of having as much responsibility as Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden for the war, stating, "Millions of people dead because of three people." Trump criticized Zelensky for starting a war against a more powerful country and continued, "When you start a war, you got to know you can win."

Trump also argued that Biden and Zelensky could have steered clear of the conflict, although Russia started aggression in 2014 years before Zelensky became president and escalated it in 2022 with a full scale invasion.

The remarks came a day after two Iskander missiles were launched by Russia into central Sumy on Palm Sunday celebrations. The attack struck a bus and nearby buildings, killing dozens of civilians, including churchgoers. Ukrainian and American officials have suspected cluster bombs. Russian troops struck the outskirts of Sumy on Monday evening, but no casualties were reported.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, visiting Ukraine on Tuesday, condemned the new attacks and reiterated, "Russia is the aggressor. Russia initiated this war. There's no doubt." He joined President Zelensky in Odesa to show solidarity after the attacks.

In the meantime, Trump's government keeps pushing for talks with Moscow over a ceasefire, excluding Kyiv. His representative, Steve Witkoff, has just had a long meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, where, according to reports, there were talks of territorial negotiations and NATO's presence in the region.

Though Russia has not come clean about their civilian targets, Moscow claims the Sumy attack was aimed at Ukrainian troops and that 60 of them were killed none of which is evidence has been provided. Ukrainian reports state a medal ceremony honoring veteran soldiers had been scheduled to take place within the city at the time the attack occurred and that Zelensky dismissed Sumy regional head.

Ukrainian forces struck back on Tuesday by targeting the Russian rocket brigade believed to have launched the missile strike.

In a prior interview recorded before the attack, Zelensky appealed to Trump to visit Ukraine before signing any deals with Russia. "Come and see the people, the civilians, the hospitals, the burned churches," he said.

The war in Ukraine dates more than a decade, beginning in 2014 with Russia annexing Crimea and supporting separatist rebels in Ukraine's east. Tensions increased in 2022 with a major Russian invasion that triggered world condemnation and widespread destruction.