Trump blames Zelensky for starting war after massive Russian attack

Donald Trump has blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for starting the war with Russia. This statement came a day after a massive Russian attack killed 35 people and injured 117 in Ukraine.

Trump said both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin share the blame. He claimed they are responsible for "millions of people dead" in the Ukraine war.

"You don't start a war against someone 20 times your size," he told reporters at the White House. He also criticized former US President Joe Biden for the conflict.

Trump's comments followed outrage over Russia's attack on Sumy, which was the deadliest this year. When asked about it, Trump called it "terrible." He mentioned that Russia had "made a mistake," but did not provide details.

"Millions of people dead because of three people," Trump stated. He named Putin as number one, Biden as number two, and Zelensky as number three.

Estimates suggest hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. However, there are not "millions" of casualties.

Trump questioned Zelensky's competence, saying he was "always looking to purchase missiles." He added that if you start a war, you must know you can win.

Tensions between Trump and Zelensky have been high since Trump's return to office this year. They clashed during a heated meeting at the White House in February.

During that meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three." He criticized him for not starting peace talks with Russia earlier.

In contrast, Trump has tried to improve relations with Moscow. US envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg on Friday for talks lasting over four hours about Ukraine.

Before Russia's latest attack, Zelensky urged Trump to visit Ukraine first. He wanted Trump to see the impact of the war on civilians and infrastructure before negotiating with Putin.

Zelensky described the attack on Sumy as occurring "right in the heart of the city on Palm Sunday."

Moscow claimed it fired two Iskander missiles at a gathering of Ukrainian soldiers, killing 60. However, they did not provide evidence for this claim.

Trump insisted he wants to "stop the killing" and hinted at upcoming proposals but did not elaborate further.

The conflict dates back more than a decade to 2014 when Ukraine's pro-Russian president was overthrown. Following this event, Russia annexed Crimea and supported insurgents in eastern Ukraine.