MOSCOW/KYIV, Dec 29 (Reuters) – Russia accused Ukraine on Monday of attempting 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.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated Putin had instructed him in regards to the alleged assault in a cellphone name on Monday morning, which had angered him. Nonetheless, Trump repeated his perception {that a} peace deal could also be close to.
“It’s one factor to be offensive,” Trump instructed reporters. “It’s one other factor to assault his home. It’s not the fitting time to do any of that. And I realized about it from President Putin at the moment. I used to be very offended about it.”
MIKHAIL METZEL by way of Getty Pictures
On Sunday, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Florida and the U.S. president stated they have been “getting quite a bit nearer, possibly very shut” to an settlement to finish the warfare, 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 region. 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 jap Ukraine.
Putin told Trump in Monday’s phone call that Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, was reviewing its stance following the reported drone assault, an aide stated.
Zelenskiy dismissed Russia’s allegation as “an entire fabrication” and the Kremlin’s personal refusal to take crucial steps to finish the war.
After the decision with Putin, Trump instructed reporters outdoors his dwelling in Palm Seaside, Florida, that he had no additional details about the alleged assault.
“I don’t prefer it, it’s not good,” Trump stated. Requested if U.S. intelligence companies had proof of such an assault, Trump stated: “We’ll discover out.”
RUSSIA SIGNALS MORE HARDLINE APPROACH TO ENDING THE WAR
Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov stated Ukraine had tried to assault Putin’s residence within the Novgorod area west of Moscow on December 28-29 with 91 long-range drones which have been all destroyed by Russian air defences. Nobody was injured and there was no harm, he stated in feedback reported by Russian media.
“Such reckless actions won’t 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 some 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 befell throughout negotiations a few doable peace deal, and stated Russia would evaluation its negotiating stance however not give up the negotiations.
Denying Ukraine had deliberate such an assault, Zelenskiy accused Russia of making ready the bottom to strike authorities buildings in Kyiv.
“It’s clear that we had a gathering with Trump yesterday, and it’s clear that for the Russians, if there isn’t a scandal between us and America, and we’re making progress – for them it’s a failure, as a result of they don’t need to finish this warfare,” Zelenskiy instructed reporters by way of WhatsApp.
He added: “I’m positive they’re merely making ready the bottom for strikes, in all probability on the capital, in all probability on authorities buildings.”
TERRITORIAL ISSUES UNRESOLVED
Trump stated his dialog on Monday with Putin was productive.
“We’ve got a few points that we’re going to get resolved, hopefully, and if we get them resolved, you’re going to have peace,” Trump stated.
Zelenskiy stated that on Sunday, a bilateral settlement had been outlined with Trump on safety ensures for Ukraine. Nonetheless, Trump stated they have been solely 95% prepared and Zelenskiy stated on Monday that he had sought a 50-year safety deal.
Lavrov, in a wide-ranging interview with state information company RIA revealed late on Monday stated that Ukraine and Western international locations needed to come to phrases with the truth that Russia held the initiative on the battlefield in Ukraine.
“Our principled place stays unchanged. The strategic initiative rests wholly with the Russian military,” Lavrov stated.
Trump stated he anticipated European international locations to “take over a giant half” of safety efforts with U.S. backing. Settlement on such strikes could be difficult, as Russia has stated any international troop deployment in Ukraine could be unacceptable.
Zelenskiy instructed Fox News in an interview that aired late on Monday that Ukraine can’t win the warfare with out U.S. support and that he doesn’t belief Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I don’t belief Putin and he doesn’t need success for Ukraine,” Zelenskiy stated.
Earlier on Monday, the Ukrainian president stated that two foremost points in a 20-point peace proposal remained to be resolved: management of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power 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.
It claims Donbas – comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk areas – in addition to the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson areas, though they’re all internationally recognised as Ukraine’s sovereign territory.
Russia desires Ukraine to withdraw troops from elements of the Donetsk area that Moscow has did not occupy. Ukraine desires combating halted alongside present entrance traces, and the U.S. has proposed a free financial zone if Ukraine pulls troops again.
Underlining Russia’s intention of standing agency on its territorial ambitions, Putin stated on Monday his generals ought to push on with efforts to safe all of Zaporizhzhia area, of which Moscow already controls round 75%.
Colonel-Normal Mikhail Teplinsky, commander of Russia’s Dnieper navy grouping, instructed Putin that Russian forces have been 15 km (9.3 miles) from its largest metropolis, additionally known as Zaporizhzhia.
“Within the close to future, it’s essential to proceed the offensive, along with the East grouping to liberate Zaporizhzhia,” Putin responded.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Dan Peleschuk, Olena Harmash, Yurii Kovalenko and Andrii Pryimachenko in Kyiv, and by Moscow newsroom; Further reporting by Andrea Shalal, Jonathan Allen, Lidia Kelly and Ronald Popeski; Writing by Timothy Heritage; Modifying by Alexandra Hudson, William Maclean, Daniel Wallis, David Gregorio and Lincoln Feast.)
