Trump-Putin phone call will not lead to 'immediate peace in Ukraine', US President says
In a post to Truth Social
, following the first call between the two presidents since the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin in 2022, Trump said the leaders discussed the war.
A
recent and sophisticated attack by Ukraine's Secret Service on more than 40 Russia's bombing planes
, which have targeted civilian locations and infrastructure in the past, was discussed during the call, Trump said.
The attack saw many Ukrainian drones make their way into Russia's borders using a shipping container before taking off, destroying the planes and the containers used to transport the weapons.
It is the largest attack on Russian military infrastructure that has taken place inside the country's borders since the beginning of Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine over three years ago.
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Trump wrote that, during the hour and 15-minute phone call, Putin said 'very strongly' that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.
He did not say whether he had warned Putin off any such retaliation against Ukraine, which Washington has supported through financial and military support in its fight against Russia.
'It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace,' he added.
The Republican has repeatedly alarmed Ukraine and Western allies by appearing to side with Putin over the war. This included a blazing Oval Office row with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
But Trump has also showed growing frustration with Putin as Russia has so far derailed the US president's efforts to honour a campaign pledge to end the war within 24 hours – even if he never explained how this could be achieved.
Includes reporting by AFP News Agency
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