US president confirms 75-minute phone call also touched on Iran’s nuclear ambitions
President Donald Trump has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to retaliate for Ukraine’s recent drone attacks on Russian airfields, including strikes that targeted nuclear-capable bombers. The revelation came in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, following a 75-minute phone conversation between the two leaders.
“It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,” Trump wrote, adding that Putin “did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”
The drone strike, dubbed Operation Spider’s Web by Kyiv, struck at least four Russian airbases over the weekend, reportedly damaging or destroying more than 40 Russian aircraft, including long-range strategic bombers. Ukraine also released footage showing drones hitting parked planes with precision, while a separate strike blew up a section of the Kerch bridge linking Russia to Crimea.
Kremlin confirms call, eyes retaliation
The Kremlin later confirmed the conversation, with aide Yury Ushakov saying Putin told Trump that Ukraine had tried to disrupt the latest peace negotiations and had turned into a “terrorist organisation.” Russian officials, including military analysts and bloggers, have begun publicly assigning blame for the airfield vulnerabilities, criticising commanders for leaving high-value bombers unprotected.
While Putin has not yet publicly specified the nature of Russia’s retaliation, Moscow has said “military options are on the table.” Trump did not say whether he urged restraint in the call.
Stalled peace efforts and hardened positions
The call comes days after a second round of peace talks in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian officials ended without progress. Ukraine rejected limited, regional ceasefires proposed by Moscow, insisting on an unconditional nationwide truce. Russia, in turn, dismissed the Ukrainian proposal as unrealistic and accused Kyiv of sabotaging negotiations through continued attacks.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in “one day,” admitted that no breakthrough was achieved. Despite earlier warning he would reassess Putin’s sincerity within two weeks, Trump made no mention of a deadline in Wednesday’s post.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO allies to strengthen air defences, saying the only way to deter further Russian attacks was to make them “less valuable.” Defence Minister Rustem Umerov also revealed that Western allies had agreed to fully fund Ukrainian defence production in allied countries under a proposed “Ramstein Investment to Industries Initiative.”
Nuclear talks with Iran also discussed
Trump said he and Putin also discussed Iran’s nuclear program, asserting that both agreed Tehran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement,” Trump wrote. “President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion.”
Trump criticised Tehran for “slow-walking” its decision and called for a definitive response in the near term. Talks between Iran and the US over enriched uranium production reportedly remain deadlocked, with Iran’s Supreme Leader rejecting US proposals as contrary to national interests.
Mounting pressure in Washington
The phone call coincided with meetings in Washington between top Ukrainian officials and US lawmakers. Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskyy’s presidential office, met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss bolstering air defences and securing ongoing support. Rubio reportedly told Yermak the US would not revert to Biden-era levels of open-ended military backing.
Trump has so far resisted new sanctions on Moscow, despite growing pressure from Congress and allies. Former national security adviser Keith Kellogg warned that Ukraine’s drone attacks on elements of Russia’s nuclear triad “raise the risk level significantly,” given the uncertainty around how Moscow might respond.
A papal plea for peace
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, the Vatican confirmed Pope Leo XIV also spoke with Putin on Wednesday, urging the Russian leader to support peace efforts and facilitate further prisoner exchanges. The pontiff reportedly emphasised humanitarian concerns and the shared Christian values that could help guide conflict resolution.
