LAST UPDATE | 14 Apr

EUROPEAN LEADERS HAVE condemned Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy that has left 34 people dead.

In the wake of the attack, European foreign ministers, including Tánaiste Simon Harris, are attending a high-level meeting in Luxembourg.

The attack on civilians returning from Palm Sunday services has drawn widespread criticism and global revulsion. Ministers attending this morning’s meeting accused Moscow of committing war crimes and demonstrating disregard for Washington-led efforts to end the war.

It is the second large-scale attack to claim civilian lives in just over a week.

Harris described the attack as “utterly despicable”.

“To see an attack on people as they go about their daily lives, to see people killed an injured, many of whom were on their way to church on Sunday … really does not speak of a country that wants peace.

“Putin continues to put obstacles in relation to that ceasefire being in place whilst continuing to bombard Ukraine.”

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky called for a “strong response” from Europe.

“Enemy missiles hit an ordinary city street, an ordinary life: houses, educational institutions, cars on the street,” he said on social media.

“And this is on a day when people go to church: Palm Sunday, the feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem.”

He added: “Only bastards can do this.”

Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski, whose country holds the European Union’s rotating presidency, said that the recent attacks are “Russia’s mocking answer” to Kyiv’s agreement to a ceasefire proposed by the US administration over a month ago.

“I hope that President Trump, the US administration, see that the leader of Russia is mocking their goodwill, and I hope the right decisions are taken,” Sikorski told reporters in Luxembourg.

When Trump was asked about the attack on Sunday evening, he told reporters: “I think it was terrible and I was told they made a mistake, but I think it’s a horrible thing. I think the whole war is a horrible thing.”

He did not clarify whether he was saying the attack was unintentional.

Firefighters put out the fire following Russia's missile attack that killed 34 civilians in Sumy, Ukraine. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Finland’s minister for foreign affairs Elina Valtonen noted that the attack on Sumy came shortly after Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in St Petersburg for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

She said it demonstrates that “Russia shows full disregard for the peace process, but also that Russia has zero regard for human life”.

Today’s EU meeting also involved an update from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha on “Russia’s ongoing aggression”, a statement from Harris said this morning.

Harris had said that he would express Ireland’s continued and “unwavering” support for Ukraine during the meeting.

“This meeting comes at a crucial moment in terms of the trajectory of the war in Ukraine,” he said.

“It will be an opportunity also to get an update from Foreign Minister Sybiha about developments on the ground and how best the EU can continue its support for the Ukrainian people.”

The meeting will also see the first-ever sitting of the EU-Palestine High Level Dialogue, during which the EU and Palestinian Authority will exchange views concerning the conflict in Gaza, as well as the prospects for advancing the two-state solution.

Foreign ministers will also talk about how to cover a major funding gap for the Palestinian Authority, whose finances have been hit hard by the war in Gaza.

It is expected that ministers will also hold informal discussions on tariffs and trade.

“I look forward to engaging constructively with my EU counterparts on the situation around tariffs,” Harris said ahead of the meeting.

“We deeply welcome the announcement by President Trump of a pause on some tariffs for 90 days and the EU decision that followed to also implement a pause. This provides an opportunity to get around the table and try and find a negotiated way forward.”

Elsewhere today, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is to hold talks with US officials in Washington with the aim of reaching a deal on tariffs.

Includes reporting by Press Association