WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally warned him during a phone call that Russia would respond to Ukraine’s recent drone attack on Russian airfields — a message that casts further uncertainty over already fragile peace efforts.
In a post on social media, Trump described the lengthy call with Putin as “a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.” The warning marks the first time Trump has publicly reacted to Ukraine’s bold drone strike over the weekend, which reportedly damaged or destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft.
The White House confirmed it had no prior knowledge of the Ukrainian operation — a point Trump emphasized during his call, according to Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov. Despite growing tensions, Ushakov characterized the dialogue as “positive and quite productive.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy swiftly responded online, accusing Russia of feeling “impunity” and warning that any delay in diplomacy is effectively enabling further aggression. “Putin’s planned response means that with every delay, Russia is giving the finger to the entire world,” Zelenskyy said.
While Trump has previously promised to end the war quickly if re-elected, he has shown growing impatience with Putin in recent weeks, even calling the Russian leader “absolutely CRAZY.” Still, his latest tone was notably restrained and lacked the frustration of earlier remarks.
The Trump-Putin call covered other geopolitical issues as well, including Iran’s nuclear program and possible Russian engagement with Tehran. However, Trump has not yet confirmed whether he plans to speak directly with Zelenskyy.
Putin, meanwhile, rejected Zelenskyy’s recent offer for direct talks, citing ongoing Ukrainian sabotage on Russian infrastructure as a barrier. Speaking with Russian officials via video link, Putin accused Ukraine of using ceasefire talks to buy time, restock Western weapons, and plan further attacks.
Simultaneously, the conflict continues to escalate on the ground. Ukraine claimed responsibility for a weekend drone strike that damaged key Russian aircraft and set off an explosion near the Kerch Bridge — a strategic link to Crimea. Russia has downplayed the damage, while its military reported advances in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region as part of efforts to establish a “buffer zone.”
As diplomacy falters, both sides have agreed to swap thousands of dead and seriously wounded troops. A new prisoner exchange is also expected this weekend, according to Zelenskyy, who dismissed the latest peace talks in Istanbul as little more than “artificial diplomacy.”
With airstrikes and troop movements intensifying alongside fragile negotiations, the war appears no closer to resolution. And with Trump once again in contact with the Kremlin but not yet with Kyiv, questions linger over what role, if any, the U.S. will play in ending the war — or whether it will simply brace for what comes next.