“Herbivorous” language and the geopolitics of silence: why Trump does not call Russia an aggressor
14 April 18:54
OPINION
After a series of missile strikes in the Sumy region, US President Donald Trump’s reaction – or rather, his delicate lack of it – has become a cause for harsh criticism from both Ukrainian and Western experts. At a time when Ukrainian cities are being targeted by the Russian army on a daily basis, the current US leader avoids clear language against Moscow. But this tacit neutrality is not an accident, but part of a broader strategy that fits into the logic of negotiations, revision of US foreign policy, and the struggle for control of the narrative.
Political analyst Ruslan Bortnik in an exclusive commentary
“I don’t think Trump is trying to save Putin’s reputation. He’s just trying to preserve a corridor for victory,” Bortnik explains.
In his opinion, any public recognition of Russia’s actions as a war crime automatically entails obligations: new sanctions, demands on the Kremlin, and increased support for Ukraine. This, in turn, will complicate potential negotiations between Washington and Moscow, which continue behind the scenes even during the active phase of the war.
“If Trump recognizes that the shelling of Sumy is a crime, he will be forced to take steps A, B, and C. That is, either to tighten sanctions, increase aid to Ukraine, or demand some kind of apology or compensation from the Russians. This will undermine the negotiation track, which is important to him,” the expert adds.
Trump does not play by other people’s rules
The current US President Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that his approach to international politics is based on the rejection of traditional diplomatic ethics. In Trump’s eyes, support for Ukraine is not a moral mission, but a part of the internal American political game.
“Trump does not want to be manipulated – neither by pro-Ukrainian elites in Europe, nor by US Democrats, nor by the Zelenskyy administration. He refuses to follow Biden’s strategy on Ukraine and is demonstratively distancing himself,” Bortnik explains.
That’s why instead of making direct statements, Trump resorts to “herbivorous rhetoric”: a minimum of accusations, maximum room for maneuver in the future.
Read also: Trump called the strike on Sumy a Russian mistake: it was terrible
The world is tired of war and it “plays into the hands” of Trump
At the same time, the global audience is gradually getting used to the Ukrainian tragedies. Explosions, shelling, deaths – all of this turns into visual noise that gradually loses its emotional weight.
“Today it’s Sumy, yesterday it was Kryvyi Rih, the day before that… We have a huge number of tragedies. These are our tragedies. But for the world, they turn into one horrible picture. One terrible movie, there is this addictive effect,” Bortnik emphasizes.
Against the backdrop of humanitarian disasters in Gaza, Sudan, or Yemen, Ukraine is at risk of losing its emotional priority. Trump intuitively picks up on this shift and uses it to justify his position – “nothing personal, just geopolitics.”
Information under the filter: a president who hears what he wants
Political analyst Igor Reiterovich, interviewed by journalists
“It seems to me that the US president is probably dependent on the information that is presented to him, and it is probably presented in order not to upset him or to fit into his vision,” the expert notes.
According to Reiterovich, Trump or his team do not want to call Russia a “murderer” or “terrorist” in order not to cut off the bridge to potential peace, especially if he (Donald Trump – ed.) plans to return to the White House. In his rhetoric, the aggressor is not an enemy, but “a problem that can be negotiated and solved.”
“His vision (of Donald Trump – ed.) today is that negotiations with Russia should continue, and therefore he avoids in every way any wording that, well, logically, in general, the information space, then he should be cut off from these negotiations,” Reiterovich said.
According to the expert, the US president admits that “something happened.” But he presents it as an unfortunate accident. This allows him not to interrupt the negotiation process and preserve the image of a politician who can come to an agreement with everyone.
Shifting responsibility to Biden
In his statements, Trump also continues to systematically shift responsibility for the war in Ukraine to his predecessor, Joe Biden. This is part of a strategy where any tragedy becomes an argument in favor of changing the political course.
“Once again, he has essentially turned the tables on Biden, saying that the war began under his watch. And I’m basically cleaning up what Biden did,” Reiterovich said.
Thus, Ukrainian political science experts agree that Donald Trump’s avoidance of direct accusations against Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, is not weakness or indifference. This is an active stance aimed at regaining negotiating control, avoiding commitments, and promoting his own agenda.
Read also: More than 20 dead in Sumy due to missile attack: what is known about the strike
What you need to know about the Russian missile attack on the city of Sumy on April 13
On Sunday, April 13, 2025, at around 10:20 a.m., the Russian army launched two missile strikes on the center of Sumy. It was a deliberate and targeted attack on civilian infrastructure, which, according to preliminary estimates, was one of the bloodiest since the beginning of the year.
According to official reports, at least 35 people were killed, including two children, and more than 117 were injured, including 15 children. Dozens of victims are in serious condition, many of them in intensive care.
The center of a peaceful town was targeted
One of the missiles hit the Congress Center of Sumy State University. At that time, the building was just completing technical preparations for a children’s theater event that was scheduled to begin in less than an hour. A second rocket hit nearby, destroying a city bus with passengers and causing widespread destruction within a 300-meter radius.
More than 50 buildings were damaged, including apartment buildings, a lyceum, a kindergarten, a clinic, and several critical infrastructure facilities. Part of Sumy was left without electricity and water supply. Local hospitals were forced to operate in an emergency mode, bringing in reserve blood supplies and doctors from nearby areas.
Among those killed was Colonel Yuriy Yula, commander of the 27th Rocket Artillery Brigade, who was in the city on official business. Olena Kohut, an artist of the local orchestra, and teacher Marina Chudes with her mother Lyudmila Sergienko were also killed – they went to help the victims after the first strike and were killed by the second one, which occurred a few minutes after the first. Such a delay is a typical tactic of the Russian Federation aimed at targeting rescuers and civilians.
Weapons and direction of attack
According to the GUR, the strikes were carried out by Iskander-M ballistic missiles fired from the territory of the Kursk region of Russia. Such weapons have an extremely short approach time, which makes it impossible to effectively warn the population.
The sirens in the city sounded only 90 seconds before the explosion, which was another reason for the high number of casualties among the townspeople. Local authorities say that people simply did not even have time to reach the shelters.
Reaction of Ukraine and the international community
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted quickly:
“A terrible blow of Russian ballistics to ordinary life. This terrorist attack must receive the toughest reaction from the world.”
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, noting that
“Russia continues to disregard international law and undermines any efforts for peace.”
A number of EU countries, including Lithuania, Poland, and the Czech Republic, called for immediate strengthening of sanctions against the Russian military-industrial complex, as well as for accelerating the supply of air defense equipment to Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that
“Europe cannot remain silent when civilians are killed in the center of a European city.”
Why Sumy?
Analysts point out that Sumy is one of the most vulnerable regional centers, located only 40 kilometers from the border with Russia. Due to its proximity to the front line, the city is systematically under threat of attack, and its defense depends on mobile air defense systems, which are objectively lacking.
According to experts, this strike is intended not only to intimidate the population, but also to create information pressure on Western capitals, saying that “Ukraine cannot defend itself.” At the same time, this is a signal of pressure on Kyiv on the eve of a new round of negotiations, which Russia is trying to push through on its own terms.
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