Ukraine Endures Heaviest Aerial Assault Yet as Trump Breaks with Putin Over War Stance
Ukraine has endured its most intense aerial bombardment since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, with more than 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles striking cities across the country in successive waves, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Tuesday.
Describing the scale and timing of the attack as “telling,” Zelensky denounced Moscow’s aggression as a deliberate blow to peace efforts. “It comes precisely at a moment when many international efforts are focused on achieving a ceasefire,” he said. “And yet, only Russia continues to sabotage them.”
The overnight assault followed a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy, as President Donald Trump announced that military aid to Ukraine would resume — a stark reversal from a recent suspension that, according to U.S. media, the president was initially unaware of.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump took an unusually harsh tone toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said. “He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
The remarks mark one of Trump’s sharpest public criticisms of Putin to date, reflecting growing frustration over the Russian leader’s intransigence.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the comments, saying, “Trump’s tone is typically rough — that’s just how he talks. We’re pretty calm about it.”
The friction comes after multiple direct communications between Trump and Putin in recent weeks, none of which have led to tangible progress toward ending the war.
Trump had previously claimed he could end the war “in 24 hours” if re-elected — a promise increasingly at odds with the reality on the ground.
Trump also expressed dismay after a call with Putin last week: “He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people. It’s no good.”
At the same time, confusion reigns within Trump’s own administration over the earlier suspension of aid to Kyiv. Sitting beside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — believed to have signed off on the pause along with undersecretary Elbridge Colby — Trump claimed ignorance.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” he quipped when pressed by journalists.
Now backpedaling, the White House is expected to greenlight the delivery of 10 Patriot missile systems to Ukraine — a critical line of defense against Russian missile and drone barrages, as reported by Axios.
Meanwhile, Trump is “reviewing” a proposed bill from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham that would slap 500% tariffs on any country trading with Russia.
Though Trump has been vocal about sanctions since taking office in January, none have yet materialized. Last month, he appeared hesitant, noting sanctions “cost a lot of money” and suggesting he was waiting to see whether a diplomatic breakthrough could be achieved instead.
That breakthrough seems increasingly unlikely.
In addition to Kyiv and the eastern Donbas region, regular targets of Russian attacks, Tuesday’s wave of strikes extended deep into western Ukraine. The city of Lutsk, just 90 km from the Polish border, was hit particularly hard.
Explosions were also reported in Lviv and Rivne, previously considered safer zones and key transit hubs for military and humanitarian aid flowing in from NATO allies.
Russian officials claimed Ukraine retaliated with drone attacks on Russia’s Kursk region, killing three and injuring seven.
Despite two rounds of ceasefire talks earlier this year, diplomatic momentum has stalled. No new meetings have been scheduled, and both Kyiv and Moscow now appear deeply skeptical about negotiation prospects.
