On Sunday, April 13, Ukraine and President Zelensky suffered another missile attack at the hands of Russia and Vladimir Putin. Just one day later, United States President Donald Trump spoke to reporters and made a statement that again raised eyebrows around the world. Trump blamed Ukraine for the attack, implying that continuing the war was the President’s fault and thus all the devastation that has happened since is on him.
Russia Once Again Bombs Ukraine, Zelensky
On Sunday, Russia launched a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, injuring 117 citizens and killing an additional 35. The aggressor claimed the attack was launched to target a large group of Ukrainian soldiers. However, many innocent civilians were killed or injured in the attack, including several children, two of whom were among the fatalities. To many European country leaders, the attack was unwarranted and could be considered a war crime. The attack was the second largest in the last week alone.
Putin and his officials released a report that Ukraine is using children to guard their troops and that the missile only targeted a military base. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back on this, claiming the first strike hit university buildings while the second exploded above street level. Neither hit a military base. The Ukrainian President has asked for all hands on deck to stop the deaths. “Only real pressure on Russia can stop this. We need tangible sanctions against those sectors that finance the Russian killing machine.”
Many European Union members have publicly come out and decried the attacks. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called to “take the toughest sanctions against Russia to suffocate its economy and prevent it from fueling its war effort.”
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen pointed out that the missile attack came immediately following President Donald Trump’s envoy, who was in Saint Petersburg for talks on a ceasefire. He claims that “Russia shows full disregard for the peace process, but also that Russia has zero regard for human life.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, and others have also spoken out. This month alone, Putin has launched 2800 air bombs and 1400 drones, with the number frequently increasing. In addition, 60 missiles have also been launched in April.
President Trump Speaks On The Attacks
Polish Prime Minister Radek Sikorski said of a possible United States response, “I hope that President Trump, the U.S. administration, see that the leader of Russia is mocking their goodwill, and I hope the right decisions are taken.” However, it appears that is not the case.
On Monday, a day after the attacks, President Trump made a statement regarding the most recent missile strike. He claimed that both countries share blame for the death toll. “You don’t start a war against someone 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles.” He also referenced that he was told Putin “made a mistake” in the attack. The European Union has pushed back on the notion, naming Putin as the primary and only aggressor.
Trump went on to say that “Millions of people dead because of three people. Let’s say Putin number one, let’s say Biden, who had no idea what the hell he was doing, number two, and Zelensky… Biden could have stopped it, and Zelensky could have stopped it, and Putin should never have started it. Everybody is to blame.” He also stated that all Ukraine wants to do is buy more missiles. Trump says that countries should only enter a way they know they can win.
Over the last month, the Trump administration has appeared to work on positive relations with Russia while presenting a more antagonistic disposition toward Ukraine. It is unclear whether the United States plans any additional aid or support to Ukraine or a ceasefire soon. While the EU has planned additional sanctions against Russia, the details are not yet known or agreed upon, and critics argue the sanctions have little impact except to hurt European economies. For now, it appears the war will not be stopping anytime soon, and it is to be determined how it will affect the global stage.
