Overview

• A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed at least 35 people and injured 120, including children, with reports suggesting the use of cluster munitions.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy labeled the attack an act of terrorism and invited U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine to witness the devastation firsthand.
• Friedrich Merz, the likely next German chancellor, condemned the strike as a severe war crime and reiterated support for delivering Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, pending coordination with European allies.
• The European Union is advancing plans for a new sanctions package against Russia, with officials emphasizing the need for maximum pressure to end the war.
• Russia claims the strike targeted a military gathering, but international leaders and organizations, including the UN, have strongly criticized the attack on civilians as a violation of international law.