Drone attacks by Ukraine disrupted resumption of peace talks: Putin tells Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump on Friday that Ukraine had jeopardised the immediate resumption of trilateral peace talks by carrying out drone attacks on Moscow during last month’s parliamentary elections, the Kremlin said. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin told Trump that Moscow had been prepared to resume negotiations with Kyiv after the elections, but the alleged attacks had disrupted those plans. “By launching a massive drone attack on Moscow, other cities and polling stations, as well as on specific individuals involved in organising the election, on the main voting day, the Kyiv regime effectively disrupted the possibility of an immediate resumption of the negotiation process,” Ushakov said while briefing reporters on the phone call. “And now, as the president said, we will consider when those negotiations can be resumed,” he added, referring to talks involving the US, Russia and Ukraine. Trump has been trying to broker an agreement to end the war, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The efforts have yet to produce a peace deal. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the conflict had reached a dangerous stalemate, adding that Washington would continue working towards a settlement. Ushakov said Putin and Trump also discussed major economic initiatives, including potential Russian fuel supplies. After the call, Trump said Russia had agreed to immediately supply diesel to US and global markets, claiming the move would help bring down fuel prices ahead of next month’s US midterm elections. Analysts, however, said the proposed supplies were unlikely to have a significant impact on prices.