By Issy Ronald, Lauren Kent and Jonny Hallam
(NCS) — Ukraine emphatically denied a Russian allegation Monday {that a} Ukrainian drone assault focused one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences.
President Donald Trump mentioned Putin informed him of the alleged assault in a cellphone name early Monday. Trump indicated that he took Putin at his phrase earlier than permitting, in response to a reporter’s query concerning the Ukrainian denial, that the assault might not have occurred.
As a consequence of the alleged assault within the Novgorod area, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who first publicly aired the allegation, mentioned “Russia’s negotiating position will be revised” within the ongoing peace talks in search of to finish Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Lavrov mentioned no harm or casualties resulted from the incident however that the Russian navy has chosen targets for “retaliatory strikes.”
He gave the impression to be referring to the closely fortified Valdai presidential residence, which is located on the shores of Lake Valdai in Novgorod Oblast in northwestern Russia. Lavrov didn’t declare that Putin was in Novgorod on the time.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instantly rejected the claimed drone assault as “a complete fabrication” from Russia.
Zelensky identified that the declare got here a day after he met with Trump for nearly three hours in Florida.
Although the talks didn’t yield a serious breakthrough, the 2 leaders agreed within the newest model of the peace plan that the US would assure Ukrainian safety for 15 years, with an possibility to increase these ensures, Zelensky mentioned earlier Monday.
“Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team. We keep working together to bring peace closer,” Zelensky posted.
“Although the Russians are spreading fakes to justify their strikes on Ukraine and the further prolongation of this war, the world’s key intelligence services must have the real information,” Zelensky added in one other put up, following conversations with European leaders afterward Monday.
Lavrov additionally mentioned Russian air defenses shot down 91 drones. He additionally mentioned Russia doesn’t intend to withdraw from negotiations on ending the struggle in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed Zelensky’s feedback and urged the world to “condemn the provocative Russian statements aimed at derailing the constructive peace process.”
In a put up on X, Sybiha mentioned Ukraine strikes solely legit navy targets within the Russian territory. The “fabricated” Russian claims concerning an alleged assault on Putin’s residence have been solely made as a “pretext and false justification for Russia’s further attacks against Ukraine,” he wrote.
Putin knowledgeable Trump concerning the alleged drone assault in a name between the 2 leaders on Monday, and he informed the US president that Russia is reviewing its place on peace negotiations consequently, in line with Russian state radio, citing a name with Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
Ushakov claimed that Trump was “shocked” and “outraged” by the report he obtained from Putin, Russian state radio reported.
Asked concerning the alleged Ukrainian assault forward of a gathering with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump informed reporters Monday, “I don’t like it. It’s not good.”
Trump mentioned that when Putin informed him concerning the alleged assault, “I was very angry about it.”
“It’s one thing to be offensive because they were offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that,” Trump mentioned.
In response to a reporter’s query, Trump added: “You’re saying maybe the attack didn’t take place. It’s possible, too, I guess. But President Putin told me this morning it did.”
Asked if US intelligence companies had proof of such an assault, Trump mentioned: “We’ll find out.”
The-NCS-Wire
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