Ukraine-Russia battle newest: Zelensky denies drone assault on Putin residence after Trump says it angered him | EUROtoday
Russia threatened retaliation after accusing Ukraine of trying to assault president Vladimir Putin’s residence, casting uncertainty over fragile peace efforts.
US president Donald Trump stated Putin informed him in regards to the alleged assault throughout a telephone name on Monday, leaving him offended, at the same time as he maintained that an settlement to finish the battle may very well be shut.
Trump had met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida on Sunday, saying talks to finish the battle had been “getting a lot closer, maybe very close”, regardless of unresolved territorial disputes.
Russian international minister Sergei Lavrov stated 91 long-range drones had been intercepted close to Putin’s residence in Novgorod on 28-29 December, describing the alleged assault as “state terrorism”.
“Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” he stated.
Zelensky dismissed the Russian claims as “a complete fabrication”, warning that Moscow was laying the groundwork for additional strikes.
“I am sure they are simply preparing the ground for strikes, probably on the capital, probably on government buildings,” he stated.Russia supplied no proof for its claims, which couldn’t be independently verified.
Trump says peace potential after ‘productive’ name with Putin
US president Donald Trump stated his dialog with Vladimir Putin on Monday was productive.
“We have a couple of issues that we’re going to get resolved, hopefully, and if we get them resolved, you’re going to have peace,” he stated.
Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Sunday a bilateral settlement had been outlined with Trump on safety ensures for Ukraine. Trump stated they had been solely 95 per cent prepared and Zelensky stated on Monday he had sought a 50-year safety deal.
Russian international minister Sergei Lavrov, in a wide-ranging interview with state information company RIA revealed late on Monday, stated Ukraine and Western nations needed to come to phrases with the truth that Russia held the initiative on the battlefield in Ukraine.
“Our principled position remains unchanged. The strategic initiative rests wholly with the Russian army,” Lavrov stated.

Trump stated he anticipated European nations to “take over a big part” of the safety efforts in Ukraine with US backing. Any such association could be sophisticated, nonetheless, as Russia has stated any international troop deployment in Ukraine could be unacceptable.
Zelensky informed Fox News in an interview that aired late on Monday that Ukraine couldn’t win the battle with out US assist and that he didn’t belief Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“I don’t trust Putin and he doesn’t want success for Ukraine,” Zelensky stated.
Earlier on Monday, the Ukrainian president stated two predominant points within the 20-point peace proposal remained to be resolved: management of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy station, which is in Russian arms, and the destiny of the Donbas space.
Russia controls a few fifth of Ukraine, together with the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014.
Namita Singh30 December 2025 04:00
Watch: Trump makes use of Zelensky peace talks to bask in conspiracy theories about 2020 election and the ‘Russia hoax’
Nicole Wootton-Cane30 December 2025 04:00
Russia alerts extra hardline method to ending the battle
Russia has signalled a extra hardline method in the direction of ending its battle with Ukraine.
This comes as Russian international minister Sergei Lavrov stated Ukraine had tried to assault Vladimir Putin’s residence within the Novgorod area west of Moscow earlier this week with 91 long-range drones, which had been all destroyed by Russian air defences.
No one was injured and there was no injury, he stated in feedback reported by Russian media.
“Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” Lavrov stated in an announcement, describing the assault as “state terrorism” and including that targets had already been chosen for retaliatory strikes by Russia’s armed forces.

Reuters couldn’t independently confirm Lavrov’s feedback. Neither Lavrov nor every other Russian officers supplied any proof for the assault assertions. It was not clear the place Putin was on the time.
Lavrov stated the assault occurred throughout negotiations a few potential peace deal, and stated Russia would evaluation its negotiating stance however not stop the negotiations.
Denying Ukraine had deliberate such an assault, Zelensky accused Russia of making ready the bottom to strike authorities buildings in Kyiv.”It is clear that we had a meeting with Trump yesterday, and it is clear that for the Russians, if there is no scandal between us and America, and we are making progress.
For them it is a failure, because they do not want to end this war,” Zelensky informed reporters through WhatsApp.
He added: “I am sure they are simply preparing the ground for strikes, probably on the capital, probably on government buildings.”
Namita Singh30 December 2025 03:25
Peace hopes dented as Russia says Ukraine tried to assault Putin residence
Russia accused Ukraine on Monday of making an attempt to assault president Vladimir Putin’s residence and vowed retaliation, offering no proof for a declare Kyiv dismissed as baseless and aimed toward derailing arduous peace talks.
The offended exchanges between the warring neighbours on Monday together with an announcement by Russia that it was reviewing its stance in negotiations in response to the assault dealt a brand new blow to prospects for peace in Ukraine.
US president Donald Trump stated Putin had informed him in regards to the alleged assault in a telephone name on Monday morning, which had angered him.
Still, Trump repeated his perception {that a} peace deal could also be close to.”It’s one thing to be offensive,” Trump informed reporters.
“It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that. And I learned about it from President Putin today. I was very angry about it.”
On Sunday, Trump met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Florida and the US president stated they had been “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to an settlement to finish the battle, though “thorny” territorial points remained.
On Monday, Putin struck a defiant tone, telling his military to press on with a marketing campaign to take full management of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia area. The Kremlin repeated calls for for Kyiv to drag its forces out of the final a part of the Donbas space that they nonetheless maintain in japanese Ukraine.
Putin informed Trump in Monday’s telephone name that Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, was reviewing its stance following the reported drone assault, an aide stated. Zelensky dismissed Russia’s allegation as “a complete fabrication” and the Kremlin’s personal refusal to take obligatory steps to finish the battle.
After the decision with Putin, Trump informed reporters exterior his residence in Palm Beach, Florida, that he had no additional details about the alleged assault.
“I don’t like it, it’s not good,” Trump stated. Asked if US intelligence businesses had proof of such an assault, Trump stated: “We’ll find out.”
Namita Singh30 December 2025 03:05
What’s subsequent for Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant as Trump discusses plan
Nicole Wootton-Cane30 December 2025 03:00
Putin amends legislation to formally let Russia ignore international prison courts
President Vladimir Putin has formally enacted modifications granting Russia the unilateral proper to disregard judgments issued by international and worldwide courts in prison instances.
This controversial choice comes as Ukrainian and European nations proceed their concerted efforts to impose penalties on Moscow for its ongoing actions in Ukraine.
Nicole Wootton-Cane30 December 2025 02:00
Watch: Putin warns Russia will accomplish objectives by pressure if Ukraine doesn’t wish to resolve battle peacefully
Nicole Wootton-Cane30 December 2025 01:00
Cracks in Trump’s peace plan as Ukraine accuses Russia of lies over ‘attack on Putin residence’
Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine seemed fragile on Monday as Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at Russian “lies” a few drone assault on considered one of Vladimir Putin’s residences, accusing the latter of making an attempt to undermine diplomatic efforts.
Russian international minister Sergey Lavrov alleged that Ukraine had launched 91 long-range drones on the forest retreat on Lake Valdai in a single day, however all had been shot down with no injury reported.
Mr Zelensky dismissed the declare as “lies” that he stated had been cynically supposed to “undermine diplomacy and justify dragging out the war”.
The Independent’s James C. Reynolds has this story:
Nicole Wootton-Cane30 December 2025 00:00
Russia vows response after declare of tried assault on Putin residence, TASS says
Russia will reply to what it stated was an tried Ukrainian assault on President Vladimir Putin’s residence, TASS state information company cited Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Tuesday.
“There will be a response for this,” TASS cited Zakharova as telling Russia’s public broadcaster.
Moscow didn’t present proof to assist its assertions that Ukraine tried to assault Putin’s residence and Kyiv dismissed Russia’s claims as baseless and designed to undermine peace negotiations.
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 23:00
West should recognise that Russia holds strategic initiative in Ukraine, says Lavrov
Russian international minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview revealed late on Monday, stated the West should perceive that Russia holds the strategic initiative in Ukraine as discussions transfer ahead on a potential settlement.
Lavrov informed RIA information company that the West needed to come to phrases with the territorial realities on the bottom practically 4 years after the launch of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which it describes as a “Special Military Operation”.
He stated the United States now supported the notion, which had change into clear to all, that with the expiry of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s mandate, a brand new election was wanted.
Lavrov additionally once more pressured {that a} settlement required an finish to any notion of a NATO presence in Ukraine and that the nation needed to undertake a impartial, non-aligned standing.
Holly Evans29 December 2025 22:30
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-trump-zelensky-putin-residence-drones-latest-news-b2891910.html