‘Don’t believe strike happened’: Trump denies Kremlin claim of Ukrainian drone attack on Putin’s residence

US President Donald Trump denied reports that Ukraine has not attacked the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack as claimed by the Kremlin last week.

‘Don’t believe that strike happened’

“I don’t believe that strike happened,” Trump said in response to a question asked by an AFP reporter.  

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week said Ukraine launched a wave of drones at Putin’s state residence in the northwestern Novgorod region that the Russian defense systems were able to defeat.  

There was a video published by Russia’s Defence Ministry last week which showed that Ukraine had launched drone missiles at Putin’s home in the Novgorod region, citing that the leader was absent at that time from his residence and did no harm to him.  

‘Something happened nearby Putin’s residence’

Lavrov also criticized Kyiv for launching the attack at a moment of intensive negotiations to end the war.

The accusation came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had travelled to Florida to meet US President Donald Trump for peace talks and the evolving US-administered 20 point peace plan.  

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Trump said that “something happened nearby” Putin’s residence but that Americans officials didn’t find the Russian president’s residence was targeted.

Russian officials criticized Ukraine as being insincere in its diplomatic efforts, while Kyiv and its Western allies disputed the attack had occurred.

Zelensky has meanwhile blamed Russia for carrying the war “into the New Year” with a series of deadly bombardments.

“We don’t believe that happened, now that we’ve been able to check,” Trump said.  

Trump downplayed the Russian allegation, which later he clarified via a social media post that raised doubt about the Russian allegation.  

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Both Trump and Zelenskyy said last week they made progress in their talks at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

Putin not interested in ceasefire 

Putin has shown little interest in ending the war, as he did not agree to compromise on his territory until winning control of all Ukrainian territory.  

European leaders are expected to convene in France on Tuesday for further talks on a US-backed plan to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, which Zelensky says is “90 percent ready."