LONDON — Russia launched greater than 100 drones into Ukraine following the conclusion of a cellphone name between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s air power mentioned, and because the world waited for what Trump mentioned could be a direct resumption of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Ukraine’s air power wrote on Telegram that its forces shot down 35 of the 108 Russian drones launched into the nation in a single day, with an additional 58 jammed or in any other case neutralized whereas in flight. The air power reported harm on the bottom in 4 Ukrainian areas.
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned its forces shot down eight Ukrainian drones in a single day.
Cross-border drone exchanges happen near-nightly and have elevated in measurement and class all through the 3-year-old struggle. Monday night time’s barrage got here regardless of Trump’s newest assurance {that a} peace deal between the 2 sides is feasible, following a cellphone name with Putin that lasted two hours.
“I believe one thing’s going to occur,” Trump informed reporters within the Oval Workplace after the decision. “It is a very, very huge egos concerned, I inform you, huge egos concerned. However I believe one thing’s going to occur. And if I assumed that President Putin didn’t wish to get this over with, I would not even be speaking about it as a result of I would just pull out.”
On this pool {photograph} distributed by the Russian state company Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured throughout an occasion in Sochi, Russia, on Could 19, 2025.
Alexander Kazakov/POOL/AFP through Getty Photos
Regardless of the failure of peace talks so far — together with a chaotic assembly between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Istanbul, Turkey, final week — Trump nonetheless appeared assured of success.
In a submit to his Reality Social web site on Monday, Trump mentioned Russia and Ukraine will “instantly” begin negotiations towards a ceasefire. Kyiv has repeatedly requested a full 30-day pause to the combating to facilitate peace talks. The Kremlin has to this point dodged the proposal.
When questioned if he had requested Putin to satisfy with him in the course of the name on Monday, Trump replied, “In fact.”
“I mentioned, ‘When are we going to finish this, Vladimir?'” Trump mentioned. “I mentioned, ‘When are we going to finish this bloodshed, this, this massacre?’ It is a massacre. And, I do imagine he needs to finish it.”
Putin’s personal assertion confirmed no signal of concessions. “Russia’s place is obvious,” the president mentioned in an announcement to the media after the decision. “Eliminating the basis causes of this disaster is what issues most to us,” Putin mentioned, per a Kremlin readout.
Trump’s threats of recent sanctions on Russia don’t seem to have pushed the Kremlin away from its maximalist struggle objectives, which basically equate to Ukrainian capitulation.
These calls for embody the annexation of 4 partially-occupied Ukrainian areas — plus the retention of Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014 — Kyiv’s demilitarization, a everlasting block on Ukrainian accession to NATO and the “denazification” of the nation — a nebulous demand primarily based on Russia’s false illustration of the Ukrainian authorities as a far-right dictatorship.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — with whom Trump additionally spoke on Monday — has sought to current Kyiv as prepared and keen to make peace, as a substitute framing Putin as the important thing impediment to Trump’s desired deal.
“This can be a defining time,” Zelenskyy wrote in a submit to Telegram on Monday. “Now the world can see whether or not its leaders have the capability to make sure an finish to the struggle and the institution of an actual, lasting peace.”
“I confirmed to President Trump that we in Ukraine are prepared for an entire and unconditional ceasefire, as the USA, specifically, has been speaking about,” he continued.
A member of a cell air defence volunteer unit stands subsequent to a machine gun throughout a Russian drone assault in Kyiv area, Ukraine, on Could 18, 2025.
Stanislav Kozliuk/Reuters
“It’s important to not dilute this supply. If the Russians will not be able to cease the killings, there have to be stronger sanctions for that. Strain on Russia will encourage it to make actual peace — that is apparent to everybody on the earth,” he mentioned.
“We should be certain that Russia is ready to carry such productive negotiations,” Zelensyy wrote.” It is extremely vital for all of us that the USA doesn’t distance itself from the negotiations and attaining peace, as a result of the one one desirous about that is Putin.”
If Putin drags out or blocks actual negotiations, Zelenskyy mentioned, “America and the entire world behave accordingly, together with responding with extra sanctions. Russia should finish the struggle that it began, and it might accomplish that any day. Ukraine is at all times prepared for peace.”
