World leaders slam deadly Russian strike on Ukraine

Deadly Russian missile strike in Ukraine condemned by world leaders, Mr. Trump calls it a "horrible thing" and a "mistake".

World leaders condemned a Russian missile strike on Ukraine on Sunday (April 13, 2025) (April 13, 2025), one of the deadliest attacks in months, while U.S. President Donald Trump called it a “horrible thing” and a “mistake”.

Two ballistic missiles hit the centre of the northeastern city of Sumy, close to the Russian border, on Sunday (April 13, 2025) morning, killing at least 34 people and wounding more than 100 others, Ukrainian authorities said.

The strike came two days after U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and push Mr. Trump’s efforts to end the more than three-year war.

“I think it was terrible. And I was told they made a mistake. But I think it’s a horrible thing. I think the whole war is a horrible thing,” U.S. President Mr. Trump told reporters on board Air Force One while headed back to Washington on Sunday (April 13, 2025) evening.

Asked to clarify what he meant by a “mistake”, Mr. Trump said that “they made a mistake... you’re gonna ask them” – without specifying who or what he was referring to.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the attack “horrifying” and a “tragic reminder of why President Trump and his administration are putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war and achieve durable peace”.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Mr. Zelenskyy on Sunday (April 13, 2025) urged Mr. Trump to visit his country to better understand the devastation wrought by Russia’s invasion.