Kyiv urges Trump to visit Ukraine

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged United States President Donald Trump to visit his embattled country, to see for himself the devastation caused by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In the aftermath of two Russian ballistic missile strikes on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday that killed 34, including two children, and that injured 117 others, US broadcaster CBS aired an interview with Zelensky in which he said he hoped Trump would visit before any ceasefire deal is finalized between the two sides.

"Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead," he said on CBS's 60 Minutes program.

Trump, who called the double missile strike a "horrible thing" and said Russia had told him "they made a mistake", did not immediately respond to Zelensky's invitation.

The incident followed an announcement by several of Ukraine's allies that they would provide the country with an additional 21 billion euros ($23.9 billion) of military aid, and after US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russia's President Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential ceasefire deal.

Foreign ministers from the European Union's 27 member nations and allied countries gathered in Luxembourg on Monday to also talk about a potential ceasefire, and to consider how a pause in fighting might be enforced.

Ireland's public broadcaster RTE said the foreign ministers meeting would also include discussion of a plan to give 2 million high-caliber artillery shells to Ukraine, and an additional military package that would likely include air defense systems and training.

Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Harris said the gathering came "at a crucial moment in terms of the trajectory" of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"We need to continue to demonstrate our unity and collective backing for Ukraine in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression," he said. "It will be an opportunity also to get an update … about developments on the ground and how best the EU can continue its support for the Ukrainian people."

Ahead of the meeting, several European leaders criticized Moscow over the missile strikes.

Russia claimed it targeted a meeting of soliders at a conference center and that it killed 60 of them.

earle@mail.chinadailyuk.com