The United States has told its G7 allies that it would not support a joint statement condemning Russia’s missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, citing its desire to keep open the possibility of continued negotiations with Moscow.
That is according to Bloomberg, which references sources familiar with diplomatic communications, Ukrinform reports.
President Donald Trump’s administration informed allies that they could not endorse the statement because they are “working to preserve space for peaceful negotiations.”
Canada, which currently holds the G7 presidency, reportedly told other member states that without U.S. approval, a joint statement could not be issued.
Drafts seen by Bloomberg indicated that the proposed G7 statement would have characterized the attack on Sumy as evidence of Russia’s determination to continue its war against Ukraine.
The missile strike on Sumy occurred just two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly met for nearly five hours in St. Petersburg with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
On April 13, Russian forces struck central Sumy with two ballistic missiles. The attack killed 35 people, including two children, and injured 129 others, among them 15 children.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that nearly 50 countries and international organizations expressed solidarity with Ukraine following the attack.
President Trump later remarked that he had been told Russia had “made a mistake” by attacking Sumy on Palm Sunday.
Photo: GermanyDiplo / Х
Source: U.S. rejects to support G7 condemnation of Russian missile strike on Sumy – Bloomberg
