Trump explains calling Sumy strike mistake, points to Putin’s guilt

Reuters and MSN reported the information.

"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," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington.

Asked to clarify what he meant by a "mistake," Trump replied, "They made a mistake... you're gonna ask them" -- without specifying who or what he was referring to.

Later, as CNN reported from a White House press conference, Trump clarified his statement, saying the mistake was allowing the full-scale war to begin. He once again blamed Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Joe Biden but acknowledged that Vladimir Putin was primarily at fault.

"The mistake was allowing the war to happen. If Biden were competent, and if Zelenskyy were competent—and I don’t know if he is competent. We had a tough session with this guy before. He just kept asking for more and more. This war should never have been allowed," said the U.S. President.

EU Reaction

The EU's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, commented on Trump’s statement on April 14, before he clarified his words, noting that Russia deliberately carried out the attack on a weekend, demonstrating its unwillingness for peace.

"I think it’s in everyone’s interest for Russia to understand that it made a mistake. But the mistake it made was attacking Ukraine. It cannot win in Ukraine because the will of the Ukrainian people is unbroken, and European countries, along with many others, will stand with Ukraine. I hope it’s clear to many now: if you want to stop the killings, you must stop Russia, which is committing all these murders," Kallas was quoted as saying by Ukrinform.

She emphasized that all EU countries support the proposal for a ceasefire. However, Kallas believes that more pressure is needed to force Russia into peace. She also noted that the EU is currently working on its 17th package of sanctions against Russia.

• According to the latest data, a double ballistic missile attack on Sumy has left 34 people dead — including two children — and 117 injured. Among the injured is an infant born in 2025.
• After the tragedy, the head of the Ukrainian state, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called the military-political leadership of the Russian Federation "completely deranged scum."