Trump: Putin vows retaliation for Ukraine drone strike
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin warned him Wednesday that he would seek revenge for Ukraine's stunning drone attack on Moscow's bomber fleet, adding that the Russian leader was not ready for any "immediate peace."
Kyiv's daring strikes on Russian airfields Sunday destroyed several nuclear-capable aircraft worth billions of dollars, and dominated the third call between the Russian and US presidents since Trump returned to power.
Putin had earlier appeared to rule out a ceasefire or any direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Turkey has suggested it could host such negotiations and invited Trump too.
"President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network, after a call that he said lasted an hour and 15 minutes.
"It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace."
The Kremlin described the call, which also focused on negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, as "positive" and "productive", adding that Trump had told Putin that Washington was not informed in advance about the drone strikes.
But Zelenskyy urged Ukraine's allies not to show "weakness" over the Russian president's threats of retaliation.
"When he feels neither strength nor pressure, but weakness, he commits yet more crimes," Zelenskyy said in an online post.
Trump made no mention of whether he had warned Putin off retaliating against US ally Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022, sparking a grinding war.
The US president has repeatedly alarmed Kyiv and its supporters in Europe and elsewhere by pivoting towards Putin, and he had a blazing Oval Office row with Zelenskyy in February.
Trump has however also shown growing frustration with Putin – last week calling him "crazy" – as Russia has continued attacks and derailed Trump's campaign pledge to end the war within 24 hours.
Putin's call with Trump appeared to be part of a diplomatic offensive, with the Russian leader also speaking with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday.
The Vatican said the US-born pontiff had pressed Putin during the call to make a "gesture that favours peace." Pope Leo has previously offered to host Ukraine peace talks.
The Kremlin said Putin had told the pope he wanted peace through diplomacy but accused Kyiv of "carrying out of acts of sabotage against civil infrastructure on Russian territory."
Putin earlier accused Ukraine of being behind "terrorist" attacks on bridges in its border regions over the weekend, including one that caused a train to derail, killing seven people.
He said any full ceasefire would just give Kyiv a chance to rearm.
"Why reward them by giving them a break from the combat, which will be used to pump the regime with Western arms, to continue their forced mobilisation and to prepare different terrorist acts," Putin said in a televised government meeting.
Ukraine has been pushing for an unconditional and immediate 30-day truce, issuing its latest proposal to Moscow at peace talks in Istanbul on Monday.
Zelenskyy said earlier Wednesday that Russia had handed Ukraine an "ultimatum" and recycled old demands in Turkiye, where the only concrete agreement was on a series of large-scale prisoner exchanges.
Moscow's demands included Ukraine fully pulling out of four regions – Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – that Russia claims to have annexed but does not have full control over.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready "any day" for a meeting proposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that would also include the US and Russian leaders.
The White House says Trump is "open" to such a meeting.
More than three years into Russia's invasion, which has cost tens of thousands of lives, the two sides have opened direct talks searching for a way to end what has become Europe's largest conflict since World War II.
Ukrainian troops have been suffering months of setbacks on the battlefield.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Tesla shares rise as investors cheer Musk-Trump peace call
NEW YORK: Tesla shares rose on Friday as investors took some comfort from White House aides scheduling a call with CEO Elon Musk to broker peace after a public feud with US President Donald Trump. Trump threatened to cut off government contracts to Musk's companies, while Musk suggested Trump should be impeached, turning their relationship into an all-out brawl on social media. The electric carmaker's shares were up around 5 per cent in Frankfurt on Friday, having closed down 14.3 per cent on Thursday in New York, losing about US$150 billion in market value. "It's unlikely that Trump will end subsidies and contracts with Tesla. Those are obviously threats that are unlikely to come into fruition," said Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index. "I don't expect this to blow out into anything more serious than a war of words for a couple of days." Analysts said some of Thursday's selloff was down to factors beyond Musk's personal relationship with the president. "We think the stock's sell-off reflects a number of other factors: an unjustified run-up following its Q1 earnings release, ongoing market share losses in China and Europe, and a realization that next week's Robotaxi launch in Austin could disappoint," Garrett Nelson, senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, said in a note. "We remain at Hold, expecting more volatility in the near term. Buckle up!" he said. Tesla shares, which hit record highs when Trump won the election in November, have since been punished harshly, as Musk's cost-cutting role in the US administration hurt Tesla's image with shareholders and consumers alike. The stock is still considered part of Wall Street's elite "Magnificent 7" club of the seven biggest companies by market cap, even though it has now dropped to ninth position in terms of value, behind Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and Broadcom. It has also dropped out of the US$1-trillion club of companies with market value above this level. The broader stock market got hit on Thursday as the feud between Musk and Trump intensified. By Friday, with signs of a possible truce on the horizon, stock futures turned higher as well, with those on the S&P 500 up 0.4 per cent. "Elon Musk has already signalled that he is open to a cooling off period with Trump, and stock market futures are higher on Friday morning. Thus, the risk could be more localised with Tesla shares in the short term," Kathleen Brooks, XTB research director, said.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Cambodia's bold pledge to eliminate plastic pollution
Students in a school in Phnom Penh supporting the no plastic pledge programme. - Photo: Phnom Penh Post/ANN PHNOM PENH (Bernama): Cambodia has reaffirmed its strong commitment to eradicating plastic pollution by launching nationwide campaigns that have mobilised millions in the fight against environmental degradation. The pledge came two months ahead of global treaty negotiations, where countries will convene to develop a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth said the government's "Clean Land' policy, along with campaigns such as "Today, I Don't Use Plastic Bags' and "Plastic-Free National Roads,' aims to curb plastic waste, improve public sanitation, and foster a culture of environmental responsibility, reported Fresh News. "The initiatives have encouraged widespread public involvement in reducing plastic use and cleaning up environments across households, communities, public spaces, and national highways. "As of April 21, 2025, more than 11 million individuals, including citizens, monks, and relevant stakeholders, have pledged not to use plastic bags. Over six million individuals have joined the campaigns,' Sophalleth said at the National Environment Day and World Environment Day celebrations held on Thursday. The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to create an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including the marine environment, will take place from August 5 to 14 in Switzerland. Cambodia continues to grapple with mounting plastic waste challenges, as its growing population, rapid economic growth, and urbanisation have significantly increased the use of non-degradable plastics in everyday life. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his World Environment Day message that plastic pollution is choking the planet - harming ecosystems and the climate. "Plastic waste clogs rivers, pollutes the ocean and endangers wildlife. In two months, countries will come together to hammer out a new global treaty to end plastic pollution. "We need an ambitious, credible and just agreement this year. One that covers the life-cycle of plastic, through the perspective of circular economies,' he said. World Environment Day is marked globally on June 5, and this year's theme is "Beat Plastic Pollution'. The United Nations Environment Programme estimated that 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems each year, while microplastics accumulate in the soil from sewage and landfills, due to the use of plastics in agricultural packaging. The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges between RM1.2 trillion to RM2.4 trillion (US$300 billion and US$600 billion). - Bernama World Environment Day, Cambodia, United Nations, Antonio Guterres, Ministry of Environment
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
From bros to foes: how the unlikely Trump-Musk relationship imploded
WASHINGTON: When Donald Trump met privately with White House officials on Wednesday, there was little to suggest that the U.S. president was close to a public break with Elon Musk, the billionaire businessman who helped him win a second term in office. Two White House officials familiar with the matter said Trump expressed confusion and frustration in the meeting about Musk's attacks on his sweeping tax and spending bill. But he held back, the officials said, because he wanted to preserve Musk's political and financial support ahead of the midterm elections. By Thursday afternoon, Trump's mood had shifted. He had not spoken to Musk since the attacks began and was fuming over what one White House aide described as a 'completely batshit' tirade by the Tesla CEO on X, his social media platform. Musk had blasted Trump's tax bill as fiscally reckless and a 'disgusting abomination.' He vowed to oppose any Republican lawmaker who supported it. The bill would fulfill many of Trump's priorities while adding, according to the Congressional Budget Office, $2.4 trillion to the $36.2-trillion U.S. public debt. Privately, Trump had called Musk volatile. On Thursday, he told his team, it was time to take the gloves off. Sitting next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he was 'very disappointed' in his former adviser. Musk quickly hit back on social media, and the back-and-forth devolved from there. 'The easiest way to save money in our budget, billions and billions of dollars, is to terminate Elon's government subsidies and contracts,' Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media site. Within minutes, Musk said it might be time to create a new political party and endorsed a post on X from Ian Miles Cheong, a prominent Musk supporter and right-wing activist, calling for Trump's impeachment. The Trump-Musk relationship at its height was unprecedented in Washington - a sitting president granting a billionaire tech CEO access and influence inside the White House and throughout his government. Musk spent nearly $300 million backing Trump's campaign and other Republicans last year. For months, Musk played both insider and disruptor - shaping policy conversations behind the scenes, amplifying Trump's agenda to millions online, and attacking the bureaucracy and federal spending through his self-styled Department of Government Efficiency. Just last week, Trump hosted a farewell for Musk and declared that 'Elon is really not leaving.' Now he had not only left but had turned into a top critic. Hours after Trump's Oval Office remarks, a third White House official expressed surprise at Musk's turnaround. It 'caught the president and the entire West Wing off guard,' she said. Musk did not respond to emails seeking comment about the downturn in relations. His super PAC spending group, America PAC, and spokeswoman Katie Miller did not respond to calls and texts requesting comment. In a statement, the White House called the breakup an 'unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted.' FROM ALLIES TO ADVERSARIES The Musk-Trump breakup sent Tesla's stock price plunging 14% on Thursday and drove uncertainty among Trump's allies in Congress, who are working to pass the monumental spending package that Democrats and a small number of vocal Republicans oppose. The breakup could reshape both men's futures. For Trump, losing Musk's backing threatens his growing influence among tech donors, social media audiences, and younger male voters — key groups that may now be harder to reach. It could also complicate fundraising ahead of next year's midterm elections. For Musk, the stakes are potentially even higher. The break risks intensified scrutiny of his business practices that could jeopardize government contracts and invite regulatory probes, which might threaten his companies' profits. Some of Musk's friends and associates were stunned by the fallout, with a number of them only recently expressing confidence that the partnership would endure, according to two other sources familiar with the dynamics. The split had been simmering for weeks, said the first two White House officials, but the breaking point was over personnel: Trump's decision to pull his nomination of Jared Isaacman, Musk's hand-picked candidate to be NASA administrator. 'He was not happy' about Isaacman, one of the White House officials said of Musk. Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and close Musk ally, was seen as key to advancing Musk's vision for space exploration and commercial space ventures. After his nomination was scuttled, Isaacman posted on X: 'I am incredibly grateful to President Trump, the Senate and all those who supported me.' The move was viewed within the administration as a direct snub to Musk, the two officials said, signaling a loss of political clout and deepening the rift between him and Trump's team. Before the Isaacman episode, top White House aides behind the scenes had already begun limiting Musk's influence — quietly walking back his authority over staffing and budget decisions. Trump himself reinforced that message in early March, telling his cabinet that department secretaries, not Musk, had the final say over agency operations. At the same time, Musk began to hint that his time in government would come to a close, while expressing frustration at times that he could not more aggressively cut spending. His threats and complaints about Trump's bill grew louder, but inside the White House, few believed they would seriously alter the course of the legislation — even as some worried about the fallout on the midterms from Musk's warnings to cut political spending, the first two White House officials said. Still, a fourth White House official dismissed the impact of Musk's words on the president's signature bill. 'We're very confident,' he said. 'No one has changed their minds.' But there was bafflement at the White House at how a relationship that only last week had been celebrated in the Oval Office had taken such a turn. Time will tell whether the rift can be repaired. White House aides have scheduled a call between the two men on Friday.
