Trump Responds to Kremlin Claims on Ukraine Attack
Last week, President Trump brushed aside accusations from the Kremlin suggesting that Ukraine targeted President Vladimir Putin’s mansion. Speaking on Sunday evening, he mentioned that while there may have been an attack nearby, it had nothing to do with Putin’s residence.
“I don’t believe that that strike happened. Something happened pretty close by, but it had nothing to do with this house,” said Trump, 79, to reporters while aboard Air Force One en route back to Washington after his time at Mar-a-Lago.
Initially, the president had scolded Ukraine regarding the alleged drone strike. He expressed anger after a phone call with Putin on December 29, indicating he was “very angry about this.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pushed back against the allegations, labeling them a “classic Russian lie.” Additionally, the CIA’s assessment concludes that the attack likely did not happen.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that 91 long-range drones had targeted and been shot down near Putin’s home, situated in the Novgorod region, which lies between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Following Lavrov’s comments, Trump asserted, “Now is not the right time,” cautioning that there’s a difference between being aggressive and attacking someone’s home.
On Sunday, he defended his earlier response, stating that he was unaware of the specific details at the time. “Because no one knew at that point,” he explained. “This is the first time I heard about it. They said their home was attacked.”
Trump emphasized, “We don’t believe that that happened because we can confirm it. But it was the first time we heard about it.”
Furthermore, Russia indicated it was reconsidering its involvement in peace talks with Ukraine, a country it invaded in February 2022.
In another matter, Trump threatened to escalate tariffs on India to persuade the country to halt its purchases of Russian oil, a significant source of funding for Putin’s military endeavors. “Mr. Modi is a good person. He knew I wasn’t happy, and it was important to me to make him happy,” Trump remarked, hinting at potential tariffs.
He noted, “They are doing trade and we can immediately raise tariffs on them.”
Previously, during the Trump administration, tariffs on Indian goods were increased to 50% in an attempt to pressure India into stopping its oil imports from Russia. Countries like China, Türkiye, and Brazil continue to import Russian oil, although at discounted rates.
Trump’s comments surfaced while he was alongside Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), who is promoting a bipartisan bill proposing tariffs of up to 500% on nations that persist in purchasing Russian oil.
