Did Ukraine Really Target Putin's Residence? Trump Weighs In
Trump's Response to Drone Attack Allegations
Aboard Air Force One: On Sunday, President Donald Trump informed reporters that US intelligence has concluded that Ukraine did not target the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent drone strike, countering claims made by the Kremlin that initially alarmed him.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had asserted that Ukraine launched a series of drones aimed at Putin's state residence in the Novgorod region, which Russian defense systems reportedly intercepted. Lavrov condemned Kyiv for this alleged attack during a critical period of negotiations to resolve the ongoing conflict.
This allegation surfaced shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Florida for discussions with Trump regarding the US's evolving 20-point plan to end the war. Zelenskyy promptly refuted the Kremlin's claims.
Trump acknowledged that there was an incident near Putin's residence but emphasized that US officials found no evidence that the residence itself was targeted. He stated, “I don’t believe that strike happened,” while returning to Washington after a two-week stay in Florida. “We don’t believe that happened, now that we’ve been able to check.”
Trump's comments came after European officials suggested that Russia's claims were merely an attempt to sabotage peace efforts.
Initially, Trump seemed to take the Russian allegations seriously, mentioning that Putin had raised the issue during a phone call earlier that day, expressing his anger over the accusation.
However, by Wednesday, Trump appeared to downplay the Russian assertions, sharing a link to a New York Post editorial that questioned the validity of the claims. The editorial criticized Putin for choosing deception and hostility at a time when Trump believes a resolution is closer than ever.
The US president has faced challenges in fulfilling his promise to swiftly end the war in Ukraine, showing frustration with both Zelenskyy and Putin as he attempts to mediate a resolution he once claimed could be achieved in a single day.
Both Trump and Zelenskyy reported progress in their discussions at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort last week.
Nevertheless, Putin has shown little willingness to conclude the war without achieving all of Russia's objectives, which include gaining control over all Ukrainian territory in the strategically important Donbas region and imposing strict limitations on Ukraine's military capabilities post-conflict.