President Donald Trump has stated that he does not believe Ukraine carried out a drone strike targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence last week, pushing back on claims made by Moscow.
“I don’t believe that strike happened,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Florida to Washington.
“There is something that happened fairly nearby, but had nothing to do with this.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed on Dec. 29 that Kyiv launched 91 drones toward Putin’s residence in Novgorod, and that all drones were destroyed. Ukraine denied the allegation.
Trump initially responded to the reported incident with concern, saying it was “not good.”
“It’s one thing to be offensive because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house,” Trump said on Dec 29.
“It’s not the right time to do any of that, and can’t do it.”
Asked on Jan. 4 why he first appeared to accept Moscow’s version of events, Trump said the information available at the time was limited.
“Because nobody knew at that moment,” he said.
“That was the first I heard about it … [Putin] said that his house was attacked.
“We don’t believe that happened, now that we’ve been able to check, but that was the first we ever heard about it”
Peace Negotiations Ongoing
The alleged strike occurred amid ongoing negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, mediated by the United States, as efforts continue toward ending the conflict approaching its fourth year.
Asked whether he plans to set a deadline for a Russia–Ukraine peace agreement, Trump responded:
“I don’t do deadlines.”
The president has previously indicated optimism about the talks.
“I think we’ll have a deal at some point, hopefully in the not too distant [future],” he told reporters on Sunday.
WATCH:
On December 28, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago to discuss potential terms for ending the war, saying:
“We’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a peace deal.
Following the alleged drone incident, the Kremlin said the claim would harden its stance in negotiations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Dec. 30 that the strike was intended to derail peace efforts.
“This terrorist action is aimed at collapsing the negotiation process,” Peskov said.
“The diplomatic consequence will be to toughen the negotiating position of the Russian Federation.”
Zelensky called the allegation a fabrication designed to justify further Russian escalation.
On Dec. 29, he said the reported strike was a “complete fabrication,” intended “to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war.”
“Ukraine does not take steps that can undermine diplomacy,” Zelensky wrote on X.
“To the contrary, Russia always takes such steps.
“This is one of many differences between us.”
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