NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has controversially blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for initiating the war with Russia, a day after a devastating Russian missile strike killed 35 people and injured 117 in the Ukrainian city of Sumy.

Speaking at the White House, Trump claimed Zelensky shares responsibility with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the ongoing war, saying, “Millions of people are dead because of three people—Putin, Biden, and Zelensky.” He accused the Ukrainian leader of provoking a conflict with a far more powerful adversary, adding, “You don’t start a war against someone 20 times your size and expect people to just send you missiles.”

Trump also criticized former U.S. President Joe Biden, claiming his administration failed to prevent the conflict from escalating.

The remarks come in the wake of Sunday's Russian strike on Sumy, the deadliest attack on Ukrainian civilians this year. Although Trump called the incident “terrible” and suggested Russia had “made a mistake,” he did not offer further explanation.

Trump further questioned Zelensky’s leadership, saying the Ukrainian president was “always looking to purchase missiles” and had failed to realistically assess the odds of winning a war with Russia. “When you start a war, you’ve got to know you can win,” Trump remarked.

Tensions between Trump and Zelensky have remained high since Trump returned to office earlier this year. During a contentious February meeting at the White House, Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” and criticized him for not initiating peace talks with Russia sooner.

In contrast, Trump has made efforts to strengthen ties with Moscow. He recently described a phone conversation with Putin as “great,” and later received a portrait from the Russian president as a gift. In February, the U.S. joined Russia in voting against a UN resolution that labeled Russia the “aggressor” in the war.

Despite a recent breakdown in ceasefire negotiations, Trump maintained that he still had a “good relationship” with Putin but expressed frustration at the lack of progress. “I’m very angry with Putin,” he said, “but we need to stop the killing.”

Last week, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg, accompanied by two of the Russian president’s advisors. Witkoff described the five-hour meeting as “compelling,” noting that discussions centered around a long-term peace plan, the status of five contested Ukrainian territories, and Russia’s opposition to NATO’s Article 5 commitments.

“There is potential for a major breakthrough,” Witkoff told Fox News. “We may be close to something that brings lasting peace and reshapes U.S.-Russia relations through meaningful commercial partnerships.”

Ahead of the recent Russian strike, Zelensky had urged Trump to visit Ukraine before making any deals with Moscow. “Before any negotiations, come and see the people—civilians, soldiers, hospitals, churches, children who have been killed or injured,” he said in an interview with 60 Minutes.

Following the attack on Sumy, Zelensky said it had struck “right in the heart of the city on Palm Sunday.” Russia claimed it had targeted a military gathering, killing 60 Ukrainian soldiers, though it provided no evidence.

Trump reiterated his desire to end the war soon, promising proposals “in the near future,” but offered no specifics.

The conflict’s roots trace back to 2014, when Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was ousted, leading to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of fighting in eastern Ukraine.