Zelenskyy on Monday rejected assertions from senior Kremlin officials that Kyiv had targeted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, dismissing the claim as a “complete fabrication.”
Yuri Ushakov, a senior foreign policy adviser to Putin, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, leveled the accusations in separate statements posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official Telegram channel, claiming Ukraine conducted a drone strike on a Russian presidential residence in the Novgorod region of northwestern Russia.
“This supposed ‘residence strike’ narrative is a total fabrication designed to justify further attacks on Ukraine, including Kyiv, along with Russia’s continued refusal to take essential actions to end the war. Classic Russian disinformation. Moreover, Russia has previously struck Kyiv, including the Cabinet of Ministers building,” Zelenskyy stated.
“Ukraine does not engage in actions that could sabotage diplomacy. Conversely, Russia consistently does. This represents one of numerous distinctions between us,” he added.
Lavrov cautioned in a statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official Telegram channel that “such reckless actions will not go unanswered.”
“The targets for response and the timing of their execution by the Russian Armed Forces have been determined. At the same time, we do not intend to withdraw from the negotiation process with the United States,” he added.
A White House official confirmed to reporters on Monday that Trump had spoken with Putin for the second time in two days, following the president’s Sunday meeting in Florida with Zelenskyy.
White House press secretary said the call was “positive” and centered on discussions regarding the war in Ukraine.
Trump informed journalists at Mar-a-Lago Monday afternoon that he had been briefed about the alleged drone strike during his earlier phone call with Putin.
“This is inappropriate timing. It’s acceptable to be aggressive when they’re aggressive. But attacking his residence is different. The timing is wrong for such actions — it cannot happen. President Putin informed me about it, and I was extremely upset,” he remarked.
Trump on Sunday described his discussions with senior Ukrainian officials as fruitful as talks progressed regarding possible routes to ending Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine.
“I genuinely believe we are likely, Mr. President, considerably — by far — closer than ever before with both sides,” Trump declared at a joint press conference with the Ukrainian leader.
Trump indicated that the most difficult outstanding issue remains territory in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region that Russia seeks but doesn’t completely control, and recommended that Kyiv should pursue an agreement sooner rather than later.