Putin tells Trump Russia has to respond to Ukrainian attacks

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday that he would have to respond to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s nuclear-capable bomber fleet, while also describing peace talks with Ukraine as “useful.”

The war in Ukraine is intensifying after nearly four months of cajoling and threats to both Moscow and Kyiv from Trump, who says he wants peace after more than three years of the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

After Ukraine bombed bridges and attacked Russia’s fleet of bombers deep in Siberia and Russia’s far north, Putin on Wednesday said he did not think Ukraine’s leaders wanted peace.

Shortly after Putin discussed the attacks with top ministers in Moscow, Trump said he had spoken by telephone with Putin for one hour and 15 minutes, and that they had discussed the Ukrainian attacks and Iran.

“We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace,” Trump said on social media.

Russia has unleashed several massive aerial attacks on Ukraine over recent weeks.

“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump said.

A foreign policy aide to Putin, Yuri Ushakov, said the Russian leader told Trump on the call that ceasefire talks between Moscow and Kyiv have been productive, despite what he termed attempts by Ukraine to “disrupt” them.

Memorandums outlining peace plans were exchanged and will be analysed, Ushakov said, “and we hope that afterwards the two sides will be able to continue their talks.”

Ushakov confirmed the two presidents discussed other international issues, particularly the Middle East conflict and how Russia could help deal with Iran and its nuclear programme.

On Iran, Trump said he believed Putin agreed with Washington that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon,” and accused Tehran of “slowwalking” decisions regarding the talks.

Trump has been unusually silent on the Ukrainian attacks on the Russian bombers – one of the three pillars of Russia’s nuclear arsenal – though Moscow demanded that the United States and Britain restrain Ukraine.

The Kremlin said Trump had told Putin that Washington was not informed in advance of the Ukrainian attacks.