Drones RAVAGE Ukraine Before Trump Call!
Putin launched his most aggressive drone attack of the war just hours before a planned call with Trump, sending a clear message about who he believes holds the power in Ukraine’s peace process.
At a Glance
Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war against Ukraine, with 273 drones targeting multiple regions including Kyiv
The massive attack came strategically timed right before a scheduled call between Putin and Trump
Ukraine reported that 88 drones were destroyed and 128 went astray, while one woman was killed in the assault
European leaders are pressing Trump to maintain sanctions against Russia while Putin demands Ukraine cede territory
Zelenskyy has shown openness to Trump’s 30-day ceasefire proposal, but Russia insists on conditions Ukraine rejects
Putin’s Brutal Preamble to Peace Talks
On the eve of a high-stakes diplomatic call with former President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin unleashed the largest drone assault Ukraine has seen since the war began. The barrage of 273 drones, many aimed at Kyiv and surrounding civilian areas, was less a military operation and more a strategic performance: a thunderous preamble designed to reshape the coming conversation on Putin’s terms.
Ukrainian officials said they shot down 88 drones, with another 128 reportedly going off-course. Tragically, at least one woman was killed, and several homes were reduced to rubble. The timing of the assault—just before Trump’s scheduled discussion with Putin—left little doubt about its intended message: Russia, not the West, will dictate the pace and terms of peace.
Watch a report: Russia unleashes largest drone assault.
Europe’s Uneasy Gamble and America’s Reset
As the drone wreckage smoldered across Ukraine, leaders in Britain, France, Germany, and Italy rushed to coordinate their message to Trump. Their plea was simple: hold the line on sanctions, particularly against Russia’s shadow oil fleet that continues to fund its military operations. But their influence is waning. For years, these same nations have depended on U.S. military might while falling short on their own defense commitments—now they scramble to steer a president who promises an “America First” approach.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss terms for Trump’s 30-day ceasefire proposal. Though Kyiv has signaled cautious openness, Putin’s demands remain immovable: surrender of territory, permanent neutrality, and a defanged military. These aren’t peace terms—they’re blueprints for occupation.
Can Trump Leverage Strength Without Appeasement?
Putin’s timing isn’t coincidence—it’s calculation. By testing the waters before speaking to Trump, he aims to gauge whether the shift in U.S. leadership opens a path for coercion through brute force. Russia’s refusal to send decision-makers to earlier peace talks in Istanbul underscored this posture of dominance. In Putin’s world, diplomacy begins only once the battlefield is subdued.
The Biden administration, for all its shortcomings, applied relentless financial pressure through sanctions. Now Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that future sanctions depend on Trump’s decisions. Whether Trump sees strength as restraint or retaliation will define the credibility of any U.S.-led peace initiative moving forward.
For Ukraine, the stakes are existential. For Europe, it’s a crisis of credibility. And for America, it’s a moment to either reassert global leadership or risk becoming a silent bystander to an emboldened autocrat rewriting the rules of war and peace.