Putin tells Trump he'll hit Ukraine back for surprise drone attack
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Putin during Wednesday's videoconference with senior officials. Photo: Gavrill Grigorov/AFP via Getty
President Trump said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him he will "have to respond" to the massive Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's strategic air bases.
Why it matters: Trump has been pushing Russia and Ukraine to end the war for four months, but after the call with Putin he admitted that "it was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace."
Driving the news: The Ukrainian drone attack took out a significant proportion of Russia's strategic long range bomber fleet. The bombers that were targeted are significant not only to Russia's war against Ukraine, but also for its nuclear deterrence.
- Before the call with Trump, Putin met via videoconference with top officials about the Ukrainian attack and the ceasefire talks with Ukraine.
- During the meeting, which was broadcast live on Ukrainian television, Putin said the attacks put in doubt any ceasefire or leader-level summit between Russia and Ukraine.
The other side: Ukrainian officials have mocked Russia's characterization of its secret "Spiderweb" operation as a "terrorist attack," given Russia has been bombarding Ukrainian cities for three years, not just striking military targets as Ukraine did.
- Ukraine has agreed to Trump's initial proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, but its leaders sound just as pessimistic as Putin about the chances of a full peace deal any time soon.
What they're saying: Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account that his call with Putin lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
- "We discussed the attack on Russia's docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides...President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields," Trump wrote.
- Putin's adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Putin told Trump Russia will retaliate, and that the Russian president also raised additional attacks attributed to Ukraine this week against the Crimea bridge and a railway.
- Putin told Trump Ukraine was trying to derail the ceasefire talks by conducting these attacks, but that Putin believed the latest round of talks in Istanbul was useful and hopes they will continue, Ushakov said.
- Trump told Putin the U.S. was not warned in advance by Ukraine regarding the attacks on the Russian air bases, Ushakov said.
