Aboard Air Force One on Sunday, President Donald Trump told reporters that United States national security officials had concluded that Ukraine did not launch a drone attack on a residence linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This directly contradicted the Kremlin's claim, which Trump had initially reacted to with concern. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had alleged that Ukraine sent a wave of drones toward Putin's state residence in the Novgorod region, adding that Russian defence systems successfully neutralised them. Lavrov also criticised Kyiv for supposedly launching the strike during a crucial phase of peace negotiations.
Zelenskyy denies allegation after Florida talks
The Russian claim surfaced barely a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Trump in Florida to discuss Washington's evolving 20-point plan to end the war. Zelenskyy immediately rejected the allegation. Trump echoed this disbelief, saying, "I don't believe that strike happened," during his return to Washington after two weeks in Florida.
European officials call it a Russian ploy
European diplomats argued that Moscow's allegation was a deliberate attempt to undermine the ongoing peace effort. Trump addressed this assessment after acknowledging that he initially took the Russian claim seriously. He said last Monday that Putin had raised the matter in a phone call, and Trump had been "very angry" at the time. However, by midweek, Trump appeared to be toning down his response. On Wednesday, he shared a New York Post editorial questioning the credibility of Russia's claim. The editorial accused Putin of choosing "lies, hatred and death" when Trump had suggested the two sides were closer than ever to a potential peace agreement.
Trump struggles to deliver on promise to end the war
The US president has been under pressure to fulfil his campaign promise to quickly end the war in Ukraine. His efforts to mediate have revealed moments of frustration with both Zelenskyy and Putin as he attempts to broker a deal he once claimed could be achieved "in one day".
Peace plan sees limited progress
Both Trump and Zelenskyy said they made progress during their Florida meeting on the 20-point proposal. Despite this, Putin has shown little interest in any settlement that does not meet Russia's stated objectives. These include complete control of the industrial Donbas region and strict post-war limitations on Ukraine's military capabilities. The path to peace, despite diplomatic efforts, appears far from certain.
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