Peace Plan Falters as Russia Accuses Ukraine of Targeting Putin’s Residence

Momentum on a 20-point peace proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war has stalled after President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of launching a drone attack against one of his presidential residences, an allegation Ukraine firmly denies.

Russia claims Ukraine conducted a large-scale assault early Monday involving 91 long-range drones targeting a presidential compound in the Novgorod region. According to Russian defense officials, all drones were intercepted by air defenses before they could reach their intended target.

“This terrorist action is aimed at collapsing the negotiation process,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday. “The diplomatic consequence will be to toughen the negotiating position of the Russian Federation.”

The timing of the accusation is particularly significant as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been advancing his 20-point peace proposal as an alternative to a 28-point framework previously proposed by the Trump administration. Zelenskyy was expected to present his plan directly to President Donald Trump during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago, part of what the Ukrainian leader described as “some of the most active diplomatic days of the year.”

Ukrainian officials have categorically rejected Russia’s allegations. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha dismissed the claims, saying Russia has offered no evidence “because there’s none.” He characterized the accusation as part of “a long record of false claims — it’s their signature tactic.”

Zelenskyy himself stated that Ukraine had discussed the allegations with U.S. officials. “They’ve talked through the details. And we understand that it’s fake. And thanks to their technical opportunities, they can verify that it’s fake,” he told reporters.

The Russian defense ministry released footage of a masked soldier standing beside what they claim is recovered drone wreckage from the attack. Officials described the drone as carrying a high-explosive warhead “filled with a large number of striking elements” designed to hit civilian targets. The Kremlin identified the site as one of several state-owned properties associated with Putin, though it did not confirm whether the Russian president was present at the time.

At the heart of the diplomatic impasse lie fundamental disagreements about what a peace settlement should entail. Zelenskyy’s 20-point proposal calls for Western-backed security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5 collective defense provision, a cessation of hostilities along current battle lines, and the establishment of demilitarized zones monitored by international forces. Crucially, the Ukrainian plan rejects formal recognition of Russian control over occupied Ukrainian territory.

These positions represent significant departures from what Moscow has been willing to accept, with Russian officials consistently demanding recognition of territorial gains as a precondition for negotiations.

Ukrainian officials suggest the alleged drone attack accusation fits a pattern of Kremlin behavior: making unproven claims to justify escalation or deflect blame when diplomatic pressure intensifies. Kyiv has warned that Moscow might be using this episode to prepare the ground for new strikes against Ukrainian government buildings while portraying Russia as the victim in peace discussions.

The dispute has also drawn in President Trump, who met with Zelenskyy in Florida on Friday and later spoke by phone with Putin, who raised the alleged incident during their conversation.

“I was very angry about it,” Trump told reporters, adding that the U.S. was still working to determine what actually happened. “We’ll find out,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Russia’s claims, telling Fox Business that Washington is investigating the matter. “It’s unclear whether it actually happened,” Whitaker said. “We’re going to get to the bottom of the intelligence.”

As tensions escalate, the prospects for a negotiated settlement appear increasingly remote, with both sides hardening their positions amid accusations and counter-accusations, further complicating international efforts to end a conflict now approaching its third year.