Merz Condemns Sumy Missile Strike as 'Severe War Crime'

The CDU leader calls for coordinated European military support for Ukraine and warns against misinterpreting dialogue with Putin as weakness.

A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed 34 people, including two children, and injured 117, with the attack executed in two waves targeting civilians and first responders.
Friedrich Merz, CDU leader and likely future German chancellor, labeled the attack a severe war crime, emphasizing its deliberate targeting of rescue efforts.
Merz reaffirmed his support for supplying Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine under a coordinated European approach, rejecting direct German military involvement.
He criticized calls for dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that such gestures are perceived by Putin as weakness rather than genuine peace efforts.
During coalition negotiations in Germany, Merz stated he would not sign a deal mandating tax increases but left open the possibility of future adjustments depending on economic conditions.