Donald Trump claims he is making progress in peace negotiations while Ukraine launches a massive drone attack on St. Petersburg

President Donald Trump stated this Sunday that he is in the midst of negotiations to achieve peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine. The statement comes at a time of peak military tension, marked by one of the most extensive airstrikes launched by Kiev against strategic Russian infrastructure and by coordinated retaliatory strikes from Moscow.

On Russian territory, the impact of a massive incursion involving more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones caused massive fires at the oil export terminal in St. Petersburg and at the Ruchi fuel depot.

According to information provided by the local governor, Alexander Beglov, the incursion left at least one person dead and five injured. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed it intercepted 1,015 unmanned aerial vehicles across 15 regions, the Crimean Peninsula, and the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks on the city of Zaporizhzhia resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to a six-year-old girl, according to reports from local authorities.

Washington's sanctions strategy and geopolitical priorities

On the diplomatic front, differences between Washington and Ukraine's leadership have deepened again. The White House issued an executive order this week temporarily suspending the implementation of new sanctions against Moscow, citing national interest.

On Truth Social, Trump said he wants to prevent any measures that would push Russia away from the negotiating table. In his message, the president highlighted that significant progress is being made, including in hostage negotiations.

He also underscored the importance of containing Moscow with regard to the Iranian regime: "Russia is doing very little, if anything at all, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared to what it could be doing, and I want to keep it that way."

The president also reiterated his critical remarks toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for directing attacks against diesel refineries on Russian soil, noting that such actions hinder the resolution of the conflict.

Kiev's stance and the status of diplomatic contacts

For his part, Zelensky gave an interview to NBC in which he warned that exempting Russia from sanctions will ultimately strengthen the Kremlin's war effort. Despite the public friction, the Ukrainian president confirmed that intelligence sharing between Washington and Kiev has resumed after a brief interruption.

Zelensky reported that he met with U.S. presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to assess progress on the diplomatic meetings that began in Miami earlier this month and to define next steps.

The Ukrainian leader claimed that Russian forces have repeatedly violated the energy ceasefire agreements, affecting essential service facilities in four regions and leaving thousands of families without electricity.

While the negotiating teams continue to evaluate potential agreements, the U.S. administration maintains its approach of deterrence and open dialogue to curb the human and material toll of the war.