Trump after conversation with Putin: 'No progress on Ukraine'

Trump said the war in Ukraine was discussed, but no progress was made on ending the fighting, Politico reports.

"It was a pretty long conversation. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran. We also discussed the war with Ukraine - and I'm not happy about that," Trump said before flying to a holiday event in Iowa. Asked by reporters if any progress had been made, he replied bluntly, "No, I haven't made any progress."

The US President also commented on recent reports about the suspension of arms deliveries to Kiev:

"We have not suspended ... We're continuing the deliveries. We've already given a great deal. But we have to make sure we have enough ourselves. Biden has depleted our warehouses."

Meanwhile, in Kiev, it's another night of terror. On the night of 4 July, the Russian army launched a massive strike on the Ukrainian capital using kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles. According to Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, 23 people were injured in the attack, 14 of them hospitalised. A 10-year-old girl is among the wounded.

Destructions were recorded in several districts of the capital: in Solomenskyi district the entrance of a five-storey building collapsed, in Svyatoshynskyi district a 14-storey residential building caught fire, and in Shevchenkivskyi district an uninhabited eight-storey building was damaged. Fastivskyi district of Kiev Region was also affected.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga called Russia's actions a deliberate provocation carried out shortly after Putin's conversation with Trump.

"Absolutely terrible and sleepless night in Kiev. Hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles. Right after Putin's conversation with Trump. And he does it deliberately," Sibiga wrote in social network X.

According to him, the Kremlin thus demonstrates "complete disregard for the United States and all those who call for an end to the war." The minister called on Western partners to take decisive action, including strengthening sanctions and accelerating the transfer of all necessary self-defence equipment to Ukraine.

"Slowness and indecision encourage the aggressor. All the criminal regimes of the world are now looking to Putin. If he gets away with it, they will get the message. Stop waiting for peace. Act to achieve it. Peace through force," the Ukrainian foreign minister emphasised.

Meanwhile, the Russian authorities sent an official congratulation to the USA on the occasion of Independence Day. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sent a congratulatory message to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing hope for "stable relations" between Moscow and Washington.

"The apogee of cynicism," Ukrainian officials and social media users wrote, emphasising that the congratulatory message came just hours after hundreds of Russian drones and missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities.

Donald Trump is expected to hold a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as early as Friday.