Zelensky urges Trump to visit Ukraine following Russia's deadly attack on Palm Sunday

What Happened?

Ukrainian officials are sounding the alarm after two Russian ballistic missiles ripped through and killed at least 34 people in Sumy over the weekend.

Two children were reportedly among those killed on Palm Sunday while at least 117 people were left wounded.

Officials are calling Sunday’s strikes one of the deadliest attacks of the conflict this year.

Russia claimed Monday, its attack on Ukraine’s Sumy had targeted a gathering of Ukrainian troops, according to reports.

European leaders, however, have condemned the attack as a war crime.

Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that Russia’s military only strikes military targets in response to the civilian casualties.

The Associated Press reported that Russia’s Defense Ministry accused Kyiv of using civilians as shields by holding military meetings in the city’s center.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before any deal is struck with Russia to end the war.

'Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead,' Zelensky said in an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes.

Zelenskyy took to social platform X on Monday to call for a global response to the attack.

'Only real pressure on Russia can stop this. We need tangible sanctions against those sectors that finance the Russian killing machine,' he said.

Why it Matters

Russian and Ukrainian officials agreed on a Black Sea ceasefire following previous talks with the Trump administration in Saudi Arabia.

The White House said the agreement will 'ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes.'

Some still questioned the success of those talks after the Kremlin reportedly suggested it may not be willing to fully enforce the ceasefire.

That is until it is admitted back into the SWIFT international banking system.

Following Russia's recent attack, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, questioned its targeting, which he said, 'crosses any line of decency.'

President Trump reportedly stated he was informed Russia 'made a mistake,' without specifying who told him.

European Union’s foreign policy chief called the incident a 'horrific example of Russia intensifying attacks while Ukraine has accepted an unconditional ceasefire.'

French President Emmanuel Macron added by pointing out 'strong measures' are needed to gain Russia's cooperation.

Trump had suggested that the U.S. was 'very much on track' with both countries.

How it Affects You

The Black Sea ceasefire agreement was previously viewed as a small win for the Trump administration.

But it's been two months since Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored America’s proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire.

Ukraine accepted the 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. in March, which had raised concerns amid Russia's refusal.

Moscow still seeks 'ironclad' guarantees in any peace deal that NATO nations exclude Kyiv from membership.

It's been a struggle for both sides despite Moscow and Kyiv agreeing in principle to a 30-day ceasefire as death tolls continue to rise.

The Trump administration has a tough task to follow through on by maintaining a proposition that leads to a successful truce agreement for both sides.