LONDON — Russia launched a sweeping drone offensive against Ukraine late Monday, hours after former President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he said could open the door to renewed peace negotiations.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 108 Iranian-made Shahed drones were launched across the country overnight. Ukrainian forces successfully downed 35 of them, while another 58 were disrupted or neutralized mid-flight. Strikes caused damage in at least four regions, authorities said.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported the interception of eight Ukrainian drones in retaliatory cross-border attacks, part of the near-daily aerial exchanges that have become a hallmark of the war’s third year.
Despite the continued escalation, Trump expressed optimism following his two-hour conversation with Putin, suggesting that a ceasefire may soon be within reach.
“I think something is going to happen,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. “There are a lot of egos involved—very big egos—but I do believe he wants to end it. If I thought otherwise, we wouldn’t be having these discussions.”
Trump later posted on his Truth Social platform that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would begin “immediately.” Kyiv has long advocated for a 30-day ceasefire as a precondition for meaningful dialogue, a proposal that Moscow has yet to embrace publicly.
Asked whether he proposed a face-to-face meeting with Putin, Trump replied, “Of course,” adding, “I said to him, ‘When do we end this bloodshed, this bloodbath?’”
Putin’s own post-call remarks, however, offered no indication of compromise. “Russia’s position remains unchanged,” he said in a Kremlin statement. “Addressing the root causes of this conflict remains our top priority.”
While Trump has floated the possibility of new sanctions to pressure Moscow, the Kremlin appears steadfast in its demands—most notably the annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions, recognition of its 2014 seizure of Crimea, Ukraine’s demilitarization, a permanent bar on NATO membership, and what it terms “denazification,” a label widely condemned as a baseless characterization of Ukraine’s leadership.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also spoke with Trump on Monday, reiterated Kyiv’s readiness to enter a full and unconditional ceasefire, placing the burden of peace squarely on Moscow.
“This is a decisive moment,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post. “We in Ukraine are prepared to stop the fighting immediately—something the United States has championed. The real question is whether Russia is ready to do the same.”
He urged global leaders not to dilute Ukraine’s proposal and called for additional sanctions should Russia refuse to engage in serious negotiations.
“Pressure is essential. Only strong, unified action will convince Russia to pursue genuine peace,” Zelenskyy stated. “We need the United States fully involved. If Putin delays or blocks talks, the world must respond accordingly.”
As air raid sirens echoed across Kyiv and other cities Monday night, Ukrainian air defense volunteers stood ready—a reminder that the violence on the ground continues even as diplomatic hopes flicker at the highest levels.
