Ukraine-Russia conflict newest: Zelensky’s forces ‘strike Russian brigade’ liable for lethal Sumy assault | EUROtoday

Nato secretary basic Mark Rutte has stated the alliance’s help for Ukraine stays “unwavering” as he spoke from the war-hit nation’s port metropolis of Odesa.

“I’m here today because I believe Ukraine’s people deserve real peace, real safety and security in their country, in their homes,” Mr Rutte stated throughout a joint information convention with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

The two met with wounded Ukrainian troopers at a hospital in Odesa.

“These discussions are not easy, not least in the wake of this horrific violence,” Mr Rutte stated, referring to the current strikes. “But we all support President Trump’s push for peace.”

His go to got here days after two Russian ballistic missiles struck town of Sumy on Palm Sunday morning, killing no less than 35 individuals, together with two kids, and injuring 119.

The Nato chief additionally emphasised that greater than €20bn (£17bn) in safety help has already been pledged by Nato allies within the first three months of the yr.

Soon after the bloodbath in Sumy, the place two Iskander missiles slammed into the provincial Ukrainian capital killing 35 individuals, together with two kids, Trump sloughed off the atrocity by claiming it had been a Russian mistake. Shocking, however not shocking, as Trump has constantly taken the Russian facet at each alternative this yr.

Read the complete evaluation from our world affairs editor Sam Kiley:

US vice chairman JD Vance stated he had condemned Russia since 2022 however criticised Zelesnky in response to the Ukrainian president’s current feedback that he by some means justified the conflict.

“I think it’s sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the government, which is currently keeping his entire government and war effort together, that we are somehow on the side of the Russians,” he stated.

“That doesn’t mean you morally support the Russian cause, or that you support the full-scale invasion, but you do have to try to understand what are their strategic red lines, in the same way that you have to try to understand what the Ukrainians are trying to get out of the conflict.”

– Ukraine’s army has stated it hit the bottom of the Russian rocket brigade whose forces carried out the lethal strike on Sumy.

– Russia’s assault on Sumy killed no less than 35 individuals on Sunday, making it one of many deadliest within the conflict but.

– European leaders rallied round Kyiv, condemning the assault.

– US President Trump defended the assault as a “mistake”.

– Russia later contradicted Trump’s defence, saying it hit a gathering of Ukrainian commanders and accused Kyiv of utilizing ‘human shields’.

– In a publish on Truth Social yesterday, US president Donald Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of “allowing” the conflict to occur.

– Speaking from the Oval Office later, he once more criticised Zelensky, saying he was not “competent” and that thousands and thousands have been useless due to Putin, Zelensky and Biden.

– He once more stated Zelensky “should have never started” the conflict, talking at an impromptu press convention at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Trump’s claims got here the day after Russia’s lethal assault on the Ukrainian metropolis of Sumy.

Trump beforehand described Zelensky as a “dictator” and swiftly withdrew his remark.

On the marketing campaign path, he claimed the conflict wouldn’t have occurred if he was president.

Trump has blamed Putin, Zelensky and Biden for the lives misplaced since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Millions of people are dead because of three people,” Trump stated, talking from the Oval Office.

“Let’s say Putin number one, let’s say Biden, who had no idea what the hell he was doing, number two, and Zelenskyy.

“And all I can do is try and stop it – that’s all I want to do. I want to stop the killing.”

Moscow has stated there may be political will to maneuver in the direction of a US-Russia peace deal on Ukraine however there isn’t any clear define but.

Speaking to reporters on a name, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that contacts with the United States have been helpful and constructive.

He declined to offer a exact timeframe for a peace settlement.

Kyiv and a few of its European allies have beforehand stated Russia is stalling on a peace talks with the US and isn’t critical about ending the conflict.

Steve Witkoff has stated that negotiations between the US and Russia could possibly be “on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world”.

Witkoff mentioned what he sees as Putin’s calls for after assembly the president in St Petersburg on Friday.

“Towards the end, we actually came up with… what Putin’s request is to get to, have a permanent peace,” he stated.

Trump’s envoy then recommended a peace deal is “about the so-called five territories, but there’s so much more to it: there’s security protocols, there’s no NATO, NATO Article 5, I mean, it’s just a lot of detail attached to it.”

NATO’s Article 5 is a precept which treats an assault on one member as an assault on all members, with a coordinated response.