Camilla Jessen
In a interview from his war-torn hometown, President Zelenskyy urged Donald Trump to visit Ukraine and witness the human cost of Russia’s war before making plans for peace.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a personal invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to visit Ukraine and see the devastation caused by Russia’s invasion before moving forward with any proposed peace negotiations.
“We respect your position,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with CBS News. “But, please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of plans for negotiations, come to see the people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead.”
“Come, look,” he added, “and then let’s move with a plan on how to finish the war. You will understand with whom you have a deal. You will understand what Putin did.”
Zelenskyy spoke from Kryvyi Rih, his hometown, which just one week earlier was rocked by a Russian missile strike that killed 19 people—nine of them children—near a playground.
During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to quickly end the war in Ukraine. Despite partial ceasefire announcements from the White House, no meaningful progress has been achieved.
On April 13, during Palm Sunday celebrations, Russian forces launched two ballistic missiles at the city center, where families had gathered. Ukrainian officials report that at least 34 people were killed, including two children. Another 117 were injured, among them 15 children.
April 11 marked a month since the U.S. proposed a full interim ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine accepted the plan unconditionally at a summit in Jeddah on March 11. Russia rejected the offer, instead presenting demands that Kyiv and its allies deemed unrealistic.
Since then, despite repeated diplomatic efforts, the violence has continued.
Trump has not publicly responded to Zelenskyy’s invitation.