Russia strikes Ukrainian city on Palm Sunday, Trump blames Ukraine

Donald Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for starting the war with Russia, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President Joe Biden, after a massive Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed 35 people and injured 117 others. Trump said that Zelensky shared the blame for "millions of people dead" in the conflict, questioning his competence and suggesting he was unprepared for war with Russia. The comments came amid rising tensions between Trump and Zelensky, who had previously urged Trump to visit Ukraine before negotiating with Putin.

Russian missiles struck the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Palm Sunday, killing at least 34 people, including two children, and wounding 117 others, 15 of whom were children. The attack occurred as people gathered for celebrations, with two ballistic missiles hitting around 10:15 a.m. local time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, calling those responsible "filthy scum." World leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also condemned the attack, which followed a similar strike on Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih on April 4 that killed at least 19 people. The strikes came as Russia and Ukraine's senior diplomats accused each other of violating a U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko says that Steve Witkoff might be "inadvertently trying to push pro-Russian narratives".

Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing to wage war in Ukraine, saying Russia is "mocking" US President Donald Trump's peace efforts. The comments came after a Russian missile strike on the city of Sumy killed 34 people, including two children, despite Ukraine's agreement to a ceasefire over a month prior. Sikorski urged Trump to take steps to counter Russia's actions, which he described as a "heinous" attack. European leaders, including Germany's chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz, also condemned the strike as a "serious war crime." Trump called the attack "terrible" but suggested Russia made a mistake.

A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed over 30 people on Palm Sunday, with at least 84 others injured, including 10 children. The strike hit residential buildings, schools, and cars on the street, with images showing widespread destruction and bodies on the ground. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, calling for a firm response from the international community, and accused Russia of terrorism.

Russia is making "opportunistic" gains in Ukraine's northern Sumy region, stretching Ukraine's defensive lines and projecting an image of progress amid a bloody stalemate in the east. A recent Russian missile strike on Sumy killed at least 35 people and injured over 100, prompting concerns of a new offensive. Ukrainian officials warn that Russia is mustering forces for a push into Sumy and neighboring Kharkiv oblast to strengthen its negotiating hand. Experts say Russia may aim to seize territory, establish a buffer zone, or wear down Ukraine's defenses. Despite some Ukrainian sources downplaying the threat, the Institute for the Study of War reports Russia has captured several border settlements and controls around 95 square kilometers in Sumy region.

Donald Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for starting the war with Russia, saying that Zelenskyy should not have started a war against a country "20 times" Ukraine's size. Trump made the comments a day after a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed 35 people, including two children. Trump also blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin and his predecessor Joe Biden for the conflict, saying "millions of people are dead because of three people." Zelenskyy has called for a global response to the Sumy attack, and Ukraine's air force reported a new Russian missile strike on the city on Monday.