The missile strike on Sumy on April was a signal to Ukraine, to the Americans and to the rest of the world.

Axar.az reports, citing Sky News, this was stated by Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow for the Atlantic Council thinktank.

Steve Witkoff spoke with Putin for four hours on Friday, Russian state media reported, in the latest round of talks between Washington and Moscow.

While Witkoff may "have the desire for peace", he is not an "experienced peace negotiator", she noted.

She also believes the attack on Sumy was a "signal" to the rest of the world, given it came so soon after Witkoff's talks with Putin.

"If Russia were a country willing to show goodwill, it would be very easy not to strike Ukraine," she said.

"It is an incredibly provocative act, one that Russia didn't need to conduct for any military reasons.

"This was a signal to Ukraine, to the Americans and to the rest of the world."

It should be noted that at least 34 people were killed and 117 injured in yesterday’s missile strikes on the city center of Sumy.