Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before engaging in any negotiations with Russia, urging him to witness firsthand the devastation caused by Russian forces.
In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Zelenskyy made a passionate appeal, saying: “Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people — civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead.”
His comments came in the wake of a deadly Russian missile strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Palm Sunday. Two ballistic missiles struck the city center as worshippers made their way to church, killing at least 34 people and injuring 83 others, according to multiple reports.
The attack has sparked fresh outrage and may influence the direction of U.S. involvement in the conflict, with analysts suggesting that the rising civilian toll could push the Trump-led peace initiative to adopt a tougher stance toward Moscow.
Trump has expressed interest in brokering a ceasefire by negotiating directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin—a move that has drawn criticism from Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s defense ministry announced that it will host a high-level security meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday involving military representatives from Turkey and several foreign nations. The talks will focus on Black Sea security and contingency planning in the event of a ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
The Sumy attack is one of the deadliest in recent months and has intensified calls for stronger international action to halt the war.
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