Kremlin denies reports of Trump-Putin call, calls it 'Pure Fiction'

The Kremlin has firmly denied reports claiming that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the reports “pure fiction” and “false information.”

Peskov told reporters on Monday that there was no conversation between the two leaders. He also made it clear that there are no current plans for Putin to speak with Trump. 

“This is completely untrue. There was no conversation,” Peskov said. “This is just false information.”

The reports had suggested that Trump, while at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, called Putin just days after his election victory. According to The Washington Post, Trump reportedly urged Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine. The Post also claimed that Trump reminded Putin of the U.S. military presence in Europe and expressed interest in discussing the resolution of the war.

Other reports from Reuters also mentioned the call but did not provide details. 

However, Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, did not confirm or deny the conversation. In a statement, he said, “We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders.”

The Washington Post’s story cited sources who wished to remain anonymous. The reports suggested that Trump wanted to find ways to end the conflict in Ukraine. However, the Kremlin's denial has raised questions about the accuracy of the reports.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the situation is worsening. Ukrainian officials issued a nationwide alert and ordered power blackouts across several cities due to fears of a large-scale Russian attack. 

The air force warned of missile danger from Russian bombers, including MiG-31K jets and Tu-95MS strategic bombers. The city of Kyiv, the capital, imposed emergency blackouts, as did other cities like Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, and Zaporizhzhia.

Social media posts showed people rushing to metro stations, which have become shelters during the ongoing war. However, by the morning, no missiles had hit, and some military bloggers suggested that the Russian bombers had only performed mock missile launches.

The alert followed deadly air attacks by Russia over the weekend. At least six people were killed in southern Ukraine, including five in Mykolaiv. In Zaporizhzhia, Russian attacks also killed one person and injured over a dozen others.

Trump’s election victory could play a major role in the future of the war in Ukraine. Trump has been vocal about ending the conflict quickly and has questioned the U.S. government's ongoing financial support for Ukraine. 

He has not yet outlined a detailed plan for peace, but his incoming Vice President, JD Vance, suggested a possible solution. Vance said that the war might end with a demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Trump earlier this week. Elon Musk, a well-known supporter of Trump, also joined the call. 

Meanwhile, the current U.S. administration, led by President Joe Biden, has promised to send as much aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, emphasized that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine in its battle against Russia. He said the goal is to position Ukraine strongly on the battlefield, which would help the country in future peace talks. This includes the use of $6 billion in remaining aid for Ukraine.