State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a press briefing on 15 April that after Russia’s missile attack on Sumy on Palm Sunday, more questions should arise about who really wants peace and a ceasefire.
On 13 April, Russian forces launched two ballistic missiles on Sumy, hitting the city center. The attack killed 34 people, including two kids, and injured 120 others, including 15 kids.
Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said that 14 police officers were killed and injured, as well as officers of other services who were responding to the aftermath of the attack.
The attack also damaged 51 buildings, 34 cars, one bus, a university and a regional Human Rights Protection Cente. “This is a deliberate destruction of the civilian population — on a weekend, when people go out on the street, when they are least protected,” Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights, said.
Russian officials confirmed that its military forces struck the Ukrainian city of Sumy, justifying that the target was a meeting location of the command staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Seversk operational-tactical group. Ukrainian regional officials confirmed that there was a meeting of military personnel, however, they were not harmed as they managed to reach shelter in time.
US President Donald Trump claimed that the Russians “mistakenly” struck the center of Sumy with ballistic missiles and called the attack “horrible.” Bloomberg reported on 15 April that the US had informed G7 allies it would not support a statement condemning the Sumy attack, as it wants to continue negotiations with Moscow.
When asked whether sanctions relief had been discussed with Russia and if the White House had requested the State Department to prepare a list of sanctions that could be removed, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on specific discussions between the White House, State Department, Secretary Marco Rubio, or other officials.
US President Donald Trump said that the Russian forces “mistakenly” struck the center of Sumy with ballistic missiles and called the attack “horrible.” Bloomberg reported on April 15 that the US had informed G7 allies it would not support a statement condemning the Sumy attack, as it wants to continue negotiations with Moscow.
“All I can say is a reminder that what was clear from the beginning: There would be no negotiations, no decisions, no arrangements until after the carnage has stopped,” Bruce said during the briefing.
She specifically referenced the Palm Sunday attack, saying: “After Palm Sunday, it’s clearly a dynamic that – where there have to be more questions about the nature of who’s really committed to peace and a ceasefire.”
Bruce emphasized that the US position has not changed regarding negotiations with Russia. “There is no negotiations or arrangements based on regular statements from the administration and from Secretary Rubio as well – that until the – it’s a meat grinder. That has not changed,” she said.
The spokesperson assured that sanctions would remain in place until Russia agrees to a ceasefire in Ukraine, while noting that the US “continues to work, obviously, for the ceasefire in that regard.”
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