Ukraine-Russia warfare newest: Kremlin insists no timeline for peace after Trump’s newest tirade towards Zelensky
The Kremlin has insisted that there is not yet a clear outline for a US-Russia peace deal on Ukraine, but that there is political will to move towards a settlement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a call that contacts with the United States were useful and possitive, but he said Moscow would not discuss a precise timeline for now.
Kyiv and some of its European allies have previously said Russia is stalling on a peace talks with the US and is not serious about ending the war.
It comes after Donald Trump again falsely blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for “starting” the war in Ukraine without acknowledging Vladimir Putin’s military invasion in February 2022.
“When you start a war, you got to know that you can win the war, right? You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size,” Mr Trump said after being asked about Mr Zelensky’s recent offer to purchase more air defence systems from the US.
Trump’s remarks came shortly after he defended Russia’s “terrible” missile attack on Sumy as a “mistake”. Mr Zelensky urged MrTrump to visit the country and see the devastation for himself.
On the war front, Kyiv forces launched a major drone attack on Russia’s Kursk region that borders Ukraine this morning, Russian authorities said. At least 109 drones were downed over the Kursk region, the Russian ministry of defence said.
The attack killed an elderly woman, injured nine people and sparked fires in several buildings.
Ukraine says Russia launched missile and 52 drones overnight
Russia attacked Ukraine with one missile and 52 drones overnight, Kyiv’s air force said.
It added that 26 of the drones were shot down, and a further 19 fell without reaching their targets.
Kremlin says there is political will but not clear outline for peace deal
Moscow has said there is political will to move towards a US-Russia peace deal on Ukraine but there is no clear outline yet.
Speaking to reporters on a call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that contacts with the United States were useful and positive.
He declined to give a precise timeframe for a peace settlement.
Kyiv and some of its European allies have previously said Russia is stalling on a peace talks with the US and is not serious about ending the war.
Paratroopers repel ‘massive’ overnight Russian assault
Kyiv’s military said its paratroopers helped repel a massive overnight Russian assault.
Russian soldiers launched an attack with infantry and more than two dozen armoured vehicles.
“The audacity of the attack went off scale,” Ukraine’s general staff said this morning.
“The invaders marched in a column, hoping to break through our defences,” he said in his update.
Intelligence identified the enemy and coordinated actions between artillerymen, drone pilots and neighbouring units, he said.
They “broke the enemy’s battle formation, and then methodically destroyed it”, leaving equipment to burn on the battlefield.
In pictures: aftermath of Kursk attack
Ukraine says Russian spies planned to set off explosions in central Ukraine
Ukrainian intelligence says it stopped Russian spies from setting off bombs in central Ukraine.
Three Russian military intelligence agents were planning to blow up a police building and a soldier’s car in Vinnytsia, the SBU said. The agents have been detained.
“SBU officers discovered hostile intentions in advance and detained the executors of the Russian order when they were setting up a hidden camera near the site of the planned explosion,” the Security Service said.
Lavrov dismisses European leadership as ‘frenzy’
Speaking to the Kommersant newspaper overnight, Sergei Lavrov said European leadership was a “frenzy”.
Lavrov compared Europe with Washington, who he credited with “trying to delve into the problem”.
“Well, as for the American side, we have already noted that, unlike the Europeans, who, well, I can’t even find another word other than ‘frenzy’,” he said.
“First of all, the leadership of France, Britain, the Baltic countries, some other EU and NATO countries… unlike them, the Trump administration is trying to delve into the problem.”
Russia openly refusing ceasefire: Zelensky
In his latest update on X, Ukrainian president Zelensky has called for more pressure on Russia as Putin stalls on a ceasefire.
If you’re just joining us: Trump’s repeated claims against Zelensky
– In a post on Truth Social yesterday, US president Donald Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of “allowing” the war to happen.
– Speaking from the Oval Office later, he again criticised Zelensky, saying he was not “competent” and that millions were dead because of Putin, Zelensky and Biden.
– He again said Zelensky “should have never started” the war, speaking at an impromptu press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
In context:
Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump’s claims came the day after Russia’s deadly attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy.
Trump previously described Zelensky as a “dictator” and swiftly withdrew his comment.
On the campaign trail, he claimed the war would not have happened if he was president.
Russian spy service says Russia, Belarus ready to act proactively
Russia’s foreign spy service chief, Sergei Naryshkin, has said that Moscow’s intelligence and security services were ready to act proactively, given what he said was increased escalation from Europe over Ukraine, state news agency RIA has said
RIA cited Mr Naryshkin as saying that, in the event of an attack on Russia or Belarus, Russia would retaliate against Nato as a whole, but that Poland and the Baltic states would suffer first.
Source: independent.co.uk
