Trump Says He’s ‘Very Disappointed’ After Call With Putin as Russia Launches Biggest Drone Attack on Ukraine
A massive Russian drone and missile attack hit Ukraine overnight, killing and injuring civilians while damaging buildings and infrastructure. Ukraine’s air force said it was the largest drone assault so far in the war. The attack lasted 13 hours and sent thousands of Ukrainians into shelters, including subways and underground parking garages, as explosions echoed across the country.
According to Ukraine’s military, Russia launched around 540 drones along with 11 ballistic and cruise missiles. The mayor of Kyiv confirmed that at least 23 people were injured in the capital.
This large-scale attack came just hours after Ukraine’s President announced that an American company would help produce hundreds of thousands of drones for Ukraine this year.
At the same time, President Donald Trump is facing criticism for failing to make progress in efforts to end the war. Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone but later told reporters that the call led to “no progress” in getting Russia to agree to a ceasefire. Trump described the conversation as disappointing and said he would speak next with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I’m very disappointed,” Trump told reporters. “Putin’s not looking to stop. This is Biden’s war. It wouldn’t have happened if I were president.” Trump said he tried to push for peace but got no commitment from the Russian leader.
The Kremlin, however, released its own summary of the call. Russian officials said Putin told Trump that Russia would not stop its military campaign until it achieved its goals. These so-called “root causes” include demands that Ukraine give up land Russia has taken and stop moving closer to NATO. Putin also said he wants to reverse what Russia calls the “post-Cold War settlement.”
This phone call between Trump and Putin was the sixth known conversation between the two leaders since Trump returned to office. Still, no real progress has been made in ending the war. In fact, Russian attacks have only increased.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes reported from the White House that officials there offered no detailed readout of the Trump-Putin call. Trump himself said it was a “long” conversation that also included talks about Iran. But when asked if any progress had been made toward ending the war in Ukraine, he said, “None.”
What has raised further concern is that the U.S. has recently paused some weapons shipments to Ukraine. Trump said, “We’ve given a lot of weapons, maybe too many. We have to make sure we have enough for ourselves.” But experts say this claim is misleading because older stockpiles have already been replaced with newer weapons.
National security analysts say this pause in weapons shipments could weaken Ukraine and give Putin the upper hand. If Russia sees the U.S. slowing down its support, it may believe it can keep gaining ground.
Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump’s approach is failing. “If Trump wants Putin to stop, he needs to increase pressure — not reduce it. That means more weapons and stronger sanctions, not less.”
Right now, there are no new sanctions on Russia this year, unlike the previous administration which regularly imposed penalties to block Russia’s financial systems and limit its global reach. Without continued pressure, existing sanctions can lose their effect.
Kupchan warned that unless Trump changes course, Ukraine could be left without the weapons it needs, especially once the current U.S. aid package of $61 billion runs out this summer. “We don’t know if Trump will ask Congress for more money when that happens,” he said.
As the war drags on, Friday’s drone strike shows just how far Russia is willing to go to keep the fight going. The smell of smoke and explosives filled the air in Kyiv as people emerged from shelters, stunned by the scale of the attack.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s hopes for a quick end to the war appear to be fading. His call to Putin resulted in no breakthroughs, and without real action — including military support and economic pressure — experts warn that the war will likely continue to escalate.