President Zelenskyy has issued a new plea to Donald Trump amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine back in 2022 and the two countries have been embroiled in devastating conflict ever since.

Heads of state have failed to help Ukraine and Russia agree to a peace deal, but President Trump made it his mission to do so when he returned to office earlier this year.

Following his first presidency, Trump built up a rapport with Vladimir Putin and is hoping to use this to end the ongoing war that’s thought to have killed over 12,600 people as of February 2025, United Nations said at the time.

Palm Sunday attacks on Sumy has killed over 30 people (Ukrainian State Emergency Service / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

But this death toll has since increased following a Russian missile strike on the city of Sumy yesterday (April 13). At the time of writing, 34 people are reported to have died in the strike.

Local officials said two ballistic missiles struck the heart of the city at around 10.30am local time as people gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday.

Images from the scene showed lines of black body bags lying on the side of the road, while more bodies wrapped in foil blankets lay among the debris. A further 117 people were wounded, including 15 children.

Trump has since addressed the matter and suggested that the strike was a ‘mistake’.

“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,” he told reporters on Air Force One as he returned to Washington yesterday evening.

He did not clarify whether he was saying the attack was unintentional.

Yesterday’s attack came on the same day a new CBS 60 Minutes interview with Zelenskyy aired.

In it, the Ukrainian president urged Trump to come visit Ukraine to see the devastation caused by the ongoing war before any big decisions are made between the US, Ukraine, and Russia.

Zelenskyy wants Trump to see the devastation for himself (OLEG VORONENKO/AFP via Getty Images)

He said to a message to the POTUS: “Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead.”

Zelenskyy also spoke of how he feels ‘100 percent hatred’ towards Putin.

“Though this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work to end the war as soon as possible and transition to diplomacy,” he went on to say of reaching a peace deal with Russia.

US President Donald Trump has issued an update regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin after talks were held to try and end the on-going war in Ukraine.

It was only on March 11 that Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraine’s allies not to let Putin ‘deceive’ them over the proposed 30-day ceasefire, and Trump subsequently threatened Putin with consequences.

The Ukrainian president announced the country is ready to ‘restore peace’ with Russia in a joint statement between the US and Ukraine three years after the country was illegally invaded.

President Donald Trump issued an update on Russia (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

US and Ukrainian officials spoke for eight hours in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they agreed to an ‘immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire,’ which still required Russian approval.

Washington confirmed it would lift the pause on military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv and ‘will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.’

Zelenskyy added that the US needs to convince the Kremlin to agree before the ceasefire takes place.

Since then, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov shared Russia’s thoughts on the matter.

“Nobody is talking to us,” claimed Lavrov. “They keep saying, ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,’ but they do everything about Russia without Russia.”

He also spoke about people’s ‘peacekeepers obsession’ and said they will not allow foreign troops on Ukrainian soil.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with a US envoy about the fate of the war (Contributor/Getty Stock Images)

“The presence of the troops from NATO countries, under any flag, under any capacity, on Ukrainian soil is the same threat,” Lavrov said.

Confirming that Russia won’t accept such troops ‘under any conditions’, the foreign secretary went on to question: “Why should we give consent to the peacekeeping force?”

Prior to this, Trump went on to threaten Russia if they refused to work with America and Ukraine to restore peace, stating: “We could do things very bad for Russia. Would be devastating for Russia. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace.”

However, it appears that it’s all turning out quite positively after Trump’s envoy spoke with Putin about the proposed 30-day cease fire.

Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, he wrote: “We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION.

“I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!”

In response, many were happy with Trump’s involvement and took to the comments to praise his progress.

One person wrote: “Thank you Mr President. May God spare their lives.”

Another said: “WINNER.”

Someone else stated: “If there is anyone that can bring this bloody terrible war to an end, it is President Trump. He has one of the most skilled diplomatic teams working on this issue and if God is willing, they will find a way to stop this awful bad war.”

President Donald Trump has taken a swipe at both President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine, as he pushed once more for a peace deal to be signed to bring the war in Eastern Europe to an end.

Taking to Truth Social, he posted: “President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.

“At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!

“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!”

It comes as Putin has proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday (May 15), ‘without preconditions’.

Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday, Putin proposed to ‘restart’ peace talks Russia and Ukraine held in 2022.

“We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine,” Putin said, adding that he does not rule out agreeing to a ceasefire later, in the course of direct talks with Ukraine.

His remarks came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure on Putin if he does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that they offered on Saturday in a strong show of unity with Kyiv.

The leaders of France, the UK, Germany and Poland said their proposal for a ceasefire to start on Monday was supported by Trump, whom they had briefed over the phone earlier in the day.

Putin on Sunday once again said the Kremlin needs a truce that would lead to a ‘lasting peace’ instead of one that would allow Ukraine to rearm and mobilise more men into its armed forces.

He said he would speak to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ask him to facilitate the peace talks this Thursday, saying ‘those who truly want peace cannot but support’ his proposal to restart the peace talks.

Putin did not directly address this latest ceasefire proposal, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Saturday told CNN that Moscow will need to consider the proposal.

President Donald Trump has taken a swipe at Putin for ‘celebrating World War II’ (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Earlier that day, Peskov reiterated Russia’s claim that it was ready for peace talks with Ukraine ‘without preconditions’ and accused Kyiv of blocking those.

Russia’s own unilateral three-day ceasefire, declared for the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany expired on Saturday, and Ukraine said Russian forces have repeatedly violated it.

In March, the US proposed an immediate, limited 30-day truce, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking to reporters alongside the European leaders in Kyiv, called their meeting ‘a very important signal’.

In a joint statement, as published on Zelenskyy’s official website, the five leaders called for a ceasefire ‘lasting at least 30 days’ from Monday, to make room for a diplomatic push to end the war.

“An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions. If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy,” the statement read.

Donald Trump has said he’s received ‘strong signals’ from Vladimir Putin that Russia is ready for peace amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The 47th POTUS addressed Congress on Tuesday (March 4), where a ton of issues were discussed, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House’s Oval House last week in a heated meeting that saw Trump accuse the Ukrainian president of ‘gambling with the lives of millions of people’, and even went so far as to allege he’s ‘gambling with World War Three’.

Zelenskyy later took to Twitter thanking America for its ‘support’ and for the visit, later tweeting to clarify Ukraine is ‘ready to work fast to end the war’.

Well, now, Trump revealed during his Congress speech that he had also received a letter from Zelenskyy.

Donald Trump with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before their explosive meeting last week (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“The letter reads Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,” Trump said.

“Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you.”

The president reflected: “I appreciate that he sent this letter. Just got it a little while ago.”

Trump also went on to say he has received ‘strong signals’ from Putin that Russia is also ready for peace over three years on from their invasion.

“[We] have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” the president went on.

“It’s time to stop this madness. It’s time to halt the killing. It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”

Trump announced that he was halting US aid for Ukraine, with White House officials saying the pause would stay in place until the president believes Zelenskyy is committed to seeking peace talks.

Trump thinks Putin may be ready for peace (MIKHAIL METZEL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Zelenskyy has since issued a statement, in which he reiterated ‘Ukraine’s commitment to peace’, and made clear that no one wants an ‘endless war’.

He penned on Twitter: “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.

“We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same.

“Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.”