Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vehemently denied Russian claims that Ukraine struck one of Vladimir Putin’s residences, calling the report a fabrication designed to undermine diplomatic progress. Reuters says Putin told President Trump the incident involved 91 drones and that Russia was reassessing the peace talks; the White House described the call as "positive." Zelensky also expressed doubt that Putin truly wants peace, pointing to continued Russian attacks on Kyiv that recently caused injuries and widespread heating outages.
Zelensky Denounces Putin’s Drone-Attack Claim as “Typical Russian Lies” After Mar‑a‑Lago Talks
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply rejected Russian allegations that Kyiv launched an overnight drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin’s official residences in the Novgorod region, calling the report a fabrication aimed at undermining diplomatic progress.
Social-media denouncement
In a social-media post, Zelensky accused Moscow of circulating "dangerous statements" intended to derail the diplomatic efforts his team has been pursuing with President Donald Trump’s advisers. "We keep working together to bring peace closer," he wrote, insisting the story was untrue and politically motivated.
"This alleged 'residence strike' story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war. Typical Russian lies."
What Moscow told Washington
Reuters reported that during a phone call with President Trump, Putin said the incident involved 91 drones and that Russia was reviewing its position on the peace negotiations. The White House described the call as "positive" on the topic of Ukraine, while a Kremlin source told Reuters that Trump had been "shocked" when Putin relayed the alleged attack; Trump has not publicly disputed that account.
Mar‑a‑Lago meeting and reconstruction pledge
Zelensky met with Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday to discuss potential paths to end the four‑year war. After the meeting, Trump said the two leaders were "very close" to a peace deal and suggested Russia could play a role in postwar reconstruction, including supplying energy at low prices.
Continued violence on the ground
The day before the Mar‑a‑Lago meeting, Russian forces attacked Kyiv, injuring at least 11 people and leaving nearly a third of the capital without heating, according to the city’s mayor. The strikes underscore the gap between diplomatic conversations and battlefield realities.
Zelensky’s skepticism about Putin’s intentions
In an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, Zelensky said he did not believe Putin genuinely sought peace. "Me? No, to be honest. And I don’t see it because, first of all, I don’t hear it publicly. His messages... he doesn’t speak about peace now. He says that he can go further. It’s not the signals of peace," Zelensky told Baier.
Outlook
The conflicting claims — Moscow’s allegation of a drone strike and Kyiv’s categorical denial — add tension to already fragile negotiations. International observers will be watching for independent verification of the incident and for whether diplomatic channels can translate talks into concrete de‑escalation steps.
