The confrontation escalated when Russia and Ukraine began unprecedented drone attacks in spite of Trump’s warning.
According to the Washington Post, US President-elect Donald Trump has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to refrain from intensifying the conflict in Ukraine.
However, both Russia and Ukraine launched record drone assaults shortly after the call, with Ukraine launching its largest-ever drone offensive against Moscow and Russia targeting southern Ukraine.
According to the article, Trump made the conversation Thursday from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, a few days after defeating Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in an unexpected election victory.
Trump warned Putin of America’s substantial military presence in Europe, according to the Post, which cited multiple people familiar with the call who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to them, he also indicated interest in having more discussions about “the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon.”
Trump’s win is thought to have the ability to end the nearly three-year-old conflict in Ukraine because he demands an immediate end to the violence and raises questions about Washington’s multibillion-dollar backing for Kiev.
Elon Musk, the Republican’s billionaire supporter, notably joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the phone with Trump on Wednesday.
“Excellent,” Zelenskyy said of the call, he and Trump had decided to “maintain close dialogue and advance our cooperation.”
President Joe Biden’s departing Democratic administration has affirmed that it will provide Ukraine with as much aid as feasible prior to Trump’s January 20 inauguration.
According to Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, the White House wants “to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield so that it is ultimately in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table.”
According to Sullivan, this would entail making use of the $6 billion in leftover funds for Ukraine.
Good signs
In response to Trump’s homecoming, the Russian government has been cautious but generally optimistic. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Sunday: “The signs are favorable… At least he is discussing peace rather than conflict.
Trump made several promises during his campaign to put an immediate stop to the conflict in Ukraine, even before taking office, but he never explained his reasoning.
Trump and his supporters have denounced US aid to Ukraine, claiming that it supports a corrupt network of foreign policy hawks and arms industries who want conflict.
Large-scale drone strikes
In the meantime, despite the Trump-Putin phone talk, Russia and Ukraine launched record drone attacks on one another.
Authorities said Monday that at least five people were killed by Russian airstrikes in southern Ukraine, one day after Moscow and Kiev unleashed record-breaking drone attacks against one another overnight.
According to Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, Russia launched 145 drones at Ukraine overnight on Saturday and Sunday, more than it had done in a single night during the conflict.
“Last night, Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy posted on social media on Sunday, calling on Kiev’s Western partners to expand their defense assistance for Ukraine.
Additionally, Russia claimed to have shot down 34 Ukrainian assault drones on Sunday that were aimed toward Moscow, the most attempts to attack the city since the war began in 2022.
In a warning about the dangers of cutting off US help for Kiev, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated on Sunday that the White House must use the $6 billion in outstanding funds for Ukraine before Trump takes office.
The Kremlin is generally said to have wanted Trump to return to the White House, applauding his skepticism about U.S. help to Ukraine and his unpredictable leadership style, despite openly claiming to support Harris in the US election.
