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As Russia’s war with Ukraine nears its fourth year, hopes for a negotiated end to the conflict are being tested again after Moscow accused Kyiv of attempting to attack a Russian presidential residence, a claim Ukraine strongly denied while reaffirming its commitment to a credible peace process.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged that Ukraine launched dozens of long-range drones toward a residence linked to President Vladimir Putin in the Novgorod region, calling the purported incident an act of state terrorism and saying Russia would review its position in ongoing peace talks. Russian officials said the drones were intercepted and caused no damage or injuries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the accusation as false, saying Ukraine had nothing to do with the alleged attack and accusing Moscow of manufacturing claims to justify further military pressure. Zelenskyy has repeatedly said Ukraine seeks an end to the war that includes firm international security guarantees to prevent future aggression.
The Kremlin said Putin discussed the matter in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has described U.S.-led negotiations as closer than ever to a breakthrough, while also acknowledging they could still fail.
Zelenskyy said the United States is offering long-term security guarantees as part of a proposed settlement and stressed that without such commitments, any agreement would be fragile. Talks remain deadlocked over key issues including territorial control, troop withdrawals and the fate of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of Europe’s largest.
Despite battlefield pressure and continued Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv has maintained that diplomacy must be grounded in international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty, with Zelenskyy saying any final peace deal should ultimately be approved by Ukrainians themselves.
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