Trump Says He Does Not Believe Ukraine Attacked Putin’s Residence

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he does not believe Ukraine carried out an attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I don’t believe that Putin’s residence was attacked. At that moment, nobody knew whether the report was true.”

Last week, Russia’s Ministry of Defense released a video claiming that Ukraine had launched a drone attack on Putin’s home in the Novgorod region. Russian authorities said the residence suffered no damage and that Putin was not present at the time.

The allegation emerged at a sensitive moment, as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year-old war have gained momentum. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently traveling to Florida for talks with President Trump as part of those efforts.

Russian officials have accused Ukraine of being ungrateful for diplomatic initiatives, while Kyiv and its Western allies have denied that any such attack took place.

Trump said U.S. officials believe Ukraine was not responsible. He added that even if something occurred near Putin’s residence, it was not a Ukrainian strike.

Meanwhile, Zelensky has accused Russia of escalating the war into the new year through a series of deadly bombardments.

Ukrainian authorities said air raid sirens sounded across the country early Monday following Russian attacks. At least two people were killed in strikes in the Kyiv region.

European leaders are expected to meet in France on Tuesday to discuss a U.S.-backed plan aimed at ending what is considered Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. Zelensky said the proposal is about 90 percent complete.