Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that the Russian rhetoric regarding the alleged “attempt to attack Putin’s residence” is yet another attempt by Moscow to create fabricated pretexts for new aggressive actions against Ukraine and to disrupt the peace process. Sybiha emphasized that such manipulations aim to legitimize further strikes on Ukrainian territory.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Kyiv’s Reaction and the International Community
According to the minister, Russia is once again trying to shift the blame for its own actions onto Ukraine, using the tactic of accusing the other side of its own intentions and crimes. He reminded that this year, Russia has already struck the building of the Ukrainian government, while Ukraine acts solely within the framework of international law, targeting enemy military facilities in response to Russian attacks.
“Firstly, Russia has already struck the building of the Ukrainian government this year. Secondly, Ukraine only targets legitimate military objectives on Russian territory – in response to Russian strikes on Ukraine. Thirdly, Russia is the aggressor, while Ukraine is the country that has been attacked and is defending itself in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. There can be no false equivalence between the aggressor and the country that is defending itself,” emphasized Sybiha on social media platform X.
Kyiv has called on the international community to firmly condemn the provocative statements of the Russian authorities, which are aimed at undermining efforts directed towards constructive peace dialogue. Ukraine remains committed to peace initiatives supported by the United States.
Lavrov’s Statements and the Course of Negotiations
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly accused Ukraine of organizing an attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai. He threatened that this would affect Moscow’s position in negotiations and could serve as a basis for retaliatory strikes on designated targets. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, these statements are yet another lie from Russia and indicate preparations for a new escalation, including possible attacks on Kyiv.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and the United States regarding a peaceful resolution to the war. U.S. President Donald Trump reported progress in the negotiations, noting that only one or two issues remain to be discussed. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the 20-point peace plan has been agreed upon by 90%, and security guarantees by 100%.
Prior to these events, a phone call took place between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Russian official Yuri Ushakov reported that the conversation lasted over an hour and was initiated by Trump. According to him, both leaders agreed that a temporary ceasefire would only prolong the conflict. At the same time, Trump himself did not publicly confirm such a position.
Later, Trump had a second conversation with Putin after negotiations with Zelensky. Ushakov added that, according to his information, Trump was shocked by reports of the attack on Putin’s residence. Meanwhile, there was no official reaction from the U.S. president to these statements.