Closing summary
We’ll draw the blog to a close here. A recap of today’s events:
Russia says it’s “revising” its position on a peace deal after claiming Ukraine sent drones to attack Putin’s presidential residence in Novgorod last night
The claim comes just hours after Trump-Zelenskyy talks at Mar-a-Lago which were described by both the US and Ukraine as very positive
Zelenskyy says Russia is manufacturing a false reason to justify further attacks on Ukraine and undermine peace talks and diplomacy
Earlier today the Ukrainian president revealed that the US had committed to security guarantees of 15 years for his country– although ideally he would like those protections extended up to 50 years
Putin and Trump had a call on Monday, following the Zelenskyy visit, which was described as “positive” by the White House press secretary
The US is yet to comment more extensively though on that conversation, and has not yet remarked on this supposed attack on Putin’s residence
Due to Russia’s promises of retaliation for the “fake” attack, Ukraine is bracing for more heavy strikes on its capital and government buildings. Just two days ago, Russia launched an onslaught of strikes on Kyiv, targeting energy sources and residential buildings.
Updated
Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Monday of trying to sabotage peace talks and preparing to bomb government buildings after the Kremlin said it had foiled a Ukrainian drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence.
Zelenskyy described the Russian claim as “another lie”. He said he was “expecting” some kind of scandal following his two-hour meeting on Sunday with Donald Trump in Florida, where “progress” was made towards ending the conflict.
“They do not want to finish this war,” he said. He warned that a Russian strike on government complexes in the capital was now probable, similar to a bombing in September of the cabinet ministers’ building in central Kyiv.
Earlier, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, claimed Ukraine had tried to hit Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, south of St Petersburg. As a result Moscow’s negotiating position would be reviewed, he said.
