Russia and Ukraine launched record-breaking drone attacks on each other, despite a phone call reported by The Washington Post, in which US President-elect Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid escalating the conflict.
Trump’s upcoming election to the White House has the potential to shift the trajectory of the nearly three-year war, raising questions about the future of Washington’s multi-billion-dollar support for Kyiv, which has been vital to its defense.
During his campaign, Trump claimed he could end the war in hours and suggested he would engage in direct talks with Putin—marking a sharp contrast to President Joe Biden’s approach. The Washington Post reported that on Thursday, Trump had a phone conversation with Putin, urging him not to inflame the ongoing war.
Just days after his surprising election victory over Democratic rival Kamala Harris, Trump reportedly reminded Putin of the substantial US military presence in Europe during their call from Mar-a-Lago in Florida. The Kremlin had previously described Trump’s willingness to negotiate as offering “positive signals,” and sources told The Washington Post that Trump expressed a desire for more discussions on “resolving Ukraine’s war soon.”
On Sunday, Trump also spoke by phone with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and the two leaders agreed to collaborate on efforts to restore peace in Europe, according to Scholz’s spokesman.
Though Trump will not be inaugurated until January, the fighting on the ground and in the skies shows no signs of abating.
Russian airstrikes killed at least five people in southern Ukraine on Monday, following a series of record-setting overnight drone attacks. Moscow launched 145 drones at Ukraine on Saturday night into Sunday, the largest single drone assault since the war began. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack and called on Kyiv’s Western allies to increase their support for Ukraine’s defense.
Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have shot down 34 Ukrainian attack drones targeting Moscow on Sunday—the largest attempt on the Russian capital since the war began.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that the White House planned to spend its remaining $6 billion in Ukraine aid before Trump takes office, warning of the dangers of halting US support for Kyiv.
Although the Kremlin publicly supported Harris in the US election, many analysts believe Russia preferred a Trump victory, seeing his skepticism about US aid to Ukraine and his unpredictable leadership style as potentially more advantageous. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on Sunday, saying, “The signals are positive,” and noting that Trump had spoken of using deals to achieve peace, in contrast to the Biden administration’s approach.
Peskov also observed that Trump was “less predictable” than Biden or Harris, adding uncertainty about how he might navigate the conflict once in office. Trump has not yet clarified how he plans to broker a peace deal or the terms he would offer.
Putin has consistently demanded that Ukraine cede large portions of its eastern and southern territories as a condition for peace talks. According to sources familiar with Trump’s call with Putin, the issue of territorial concessions was briefly discussed.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has firmly rejected any concessions to Putin, warning that giving in to Moscow’s territorial demands would only embolden the Kremlin and lead to further aggression. He has also stated that without continued US aid, Ukraine would lose the war.
The prospects for a US-brokered peace deal grow increasingly complicated as Russia makes advances on the battlefield. Moscow’s forces recently captured additional territory in eastern Ukraine, marking their largest territorial gains since March 2022, according to analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
On Sunday, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed it had seized another village in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky, in his address, also referenced the largest attempted Ukrainian drone strike on Moscow since the war began. Ukrainian forces have increasingly targeted Russian military sites, with Zelensky thanking his troops for their efforts. The attempted attack on Moscow forced the closure of three airports, wounded a woman, and caused fires in the village of Stanovoye.
While Kyiv is frequently struck by Russian drones and missiles, attacks on Moscow remain relatively rare.
