Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the possibility of peace talks with Ukraine during a phone call with President Donald Trump on Friday. The call lasted an hour and a half and occurred before Russian strikes killed at least 20 Ukrainians early Saturday. Putin stated that he would continue military operations against Kyiv until all objectives are achieved, according to Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.
Ushakov reported that Putin conveyed to Trump that Ukraine had 'no prospects whatsoever' and that Russia had the outcome of the war 'entirely in their hands,' despite indications that Russian advances have slowed and Ukraine has made some gains. Trump reportedly initiated the call to wish Putin a happy birthday and to convey greetings from the First Lady. Ushakov noted that Trump would relay Putin's message regarding peace talks to the Ukrainian government.
The call followed high-level discussions organized by the United States that included special envoy Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian negotiators, and representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Commission, and NATO. These talks did not result in any breakthroughs after six hours of discussions.
Ukrainian officials expressed surprise at Washington's decision to lift export sanctions on Russia to allow diesel shipments to the United States, a move that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized as a 'weak decision' that would support Putin's military efforts.
In the aftermath of the call, Russian forces attacked a residential area in Zaporizhzhia, using five guided aerial bombs, which resulted in 20 fatalities and 18 injuries, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Among the deceased were three children, including an 11-year-old boy. Mykhailo Semikin, acting governor of Zaporizhzhia, expressed condolences on Telegram, stating that the loss of life was tragic and that families were left in pain. Rescue efforts continued as people remained trapped under the rubble.