Drone Attacks Persist Despite Trump-Putin Call as Ceasefire Talks Stall

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia showed no signs of easing overnight, as both sides accused each other of launching drone strikes just hours after a high-profile phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 108 Iranian-made Shahed drones along with other decoy drones across multiple regions. Ukrainian defenses reportedly shot down 93 of them across the east, center, and north of the country. The barrage came shortly after Trump and Putin held a nearly two-hour conversation—Trump from the Oval Office and Putin from a music school in Sochi.

Ceasefire Talks Hit a Wall

Following the call, Trump announced that both Kyiv and Moscow would begin ceasefire negotiations “immediately.” However, Putin offered a more cautious tone, saying Russia was open to discussing a “possible ceasefire for a certain period of time” if certain agreements were reached. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov later confirmed that no timeline had been set during the conversation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the gesture as a delay tactic.

“It is obvious that Russia is trying to buy time in order to continue its war and occupation,” Zelensky said on social media, following a conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

Putin has already turned down a proposed 30-day ceasefire from Washington and Kyiv and previously rejected Zelensky’s call for direct talks in Istanbul.

No Real Progress, Say Ukrainian Officials

Zelensky’s advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said the Trump–Putin call failed to move the needle.

“Unfortunately, following the Trump–Putin phone call, the status quo has not changed,” he said.

Meanwhile, European leaders, briefed by Trump, opted to ramp up sanctions against Moscow. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed the move in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) late Monday.

Despite this, Trump cautioned against endorsing new U.S. sanctions.

“I think there’s a chance of getting something done,” Trump said. “And if you do that [impose more sanctions], you could also make it much worse.”

Talks About Talks

While Zelensky confirmed discussions are underway about where future peace talks might be held, no official decision has been made. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia remains focused on resolving the conflict by addressing its “root causes.”

But to U.S. officials, that phrase signals more than negotiation.

“He wants Ukraine to surrender,” said William Taylor, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine.
“He wants Ukraine to disarm—to be in a position where the Ukrainians cannot defend themselves. That’s what Putin means when he says ‘the root causes.’”

As drone warfare continues and diplomatic language grows more cautious, hopes for a swift ceasefire appear dim, despite Trump’s involvement.