A senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yuri Ushakov, sharply criticized Ukraine for employing what he called “terrorist strikes” against civilians and infrastructure during their ongoing war. He made these remarks following a two-and-a-half-hour phone conversation between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump — their eighth since Trump’s return to office.

Ushakov described the dialogue as “extremely candid and trusting,” saying Putin reaffirmed Russia’s push for a political resolution while also asserting that Moscow “fully holds the strategic initiative” on the battlefield. He accused Kyiv of irresponsible aggression masked as military operations.