US President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing sanctions on Russia following the country’s largest-ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine. The attack, which comprised 539 drones and 11 missiles, resulted in at least 26 people wounded and significant damage. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with his recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that Putin “wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it’s no good”.
The call between Trump and Putin ended without a breakthrough, with Trump mentioning that they discussed sanctions “a lot”. Trump added that Putin “understands that it may be coming”. This development comes as concerns mount over whether the US would continue delivering military aid to Ukraine, which is key to the country’s ability to fend off drone and missile barrages.
The assault is considered the largest since the war started, with Ukrainian air defense systems working to fend off the attack. Poland’s embassy building in Kyiv was damaged, but staff were unharmed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump agreed to work together to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense systems. Zelensky emphasized the need for increased pressure on Moscow, which recently announced fresh territorial gains.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU needs to “step up” its support for Ukraine, particularly after the US announced a reduction in aid deliveries.
Overnight Russian attacks have escalated over recent weeks, with a record number of drones and missiles launched at Ukraine in June. Talks to secure a ceasefire have stalled, with delegations last meeting over a month ago to agree on exchanging 1,000 prisoners each.
Zelensky said air alerts began echoing out across the country as the Trump-Putin call was getting underway. Ukraine has also ramped up its retaliatory strikes in Russia, where a woman was killed by a Ukrainian drone attack overnight.
