U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call on Wednesday, amid growing tensions following Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russian airbases, which damaged a significant portion of Russia’s nuclear-capable bomber fleet.
Trump said Putin “very strongly” warned he would respond to the Ukrainian attacks while emphasizing that the U.S. was not given advance notice of the Ukrainian operation. He described the conversation as “good” but said it would not lead to immediate peace. The two leaders also discussed other geopolitical issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, with Trump noting Putin’s agreement that Iran should not acquire nuclear weapons.
The attacks, which Ukrainian officials claim destroyed or damaged dozens of strategic Russian aircraft, mark a significant escalation in the nearly four-year conflict. Ukraine also claimed to have damaged the vital Kerch Bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, though the Kremlin disputed this. Meanwhile, Russia continues to make incremental advances on the ground, recently capturing villages in the Sumy region near the Russian border as part of its aim to establish a buffer zone.
