Putin mocks Trump with new strikes on Ukraine after Zelensky failed to win promise on Tomahawk missiles from US president

Vladimir Putin made new brutal strikes on Ukraine despite telling Donald Trump he wants to ‘end the war’, while the US president rejected Volodymyr Zelensky’s demands for American missiles. 

Russian explosions rocked the regions of Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Zaporizhzhia overnight. 

The Ukrainian navy was forced to destroy a Russian marine drone that was ‘threatening civilian shipping’, with impressive footage capturing the moment it was detonated.

Russia’s overnight strikes across Ukraine triggered a fire at a civilian food warehouse in the Poltava region, and destroyed residential and administrative buildings. 

Putin’s latest attack comes after Trump on Friday refused Ukraine’s demands for Tomahawk missiles in a tense meeting in Washington between the US president and Zelensky.

Trump expressed hopes to resolve the war ‘without thinking about Tomahawks’. 

‘We need Tomahawks. One reason we want this war over is because it’s not easy for us to keep sending massive weapons,’ he said, citing the need to preserve US military readiness. 

In response, Zelensky proposed a mutual production deal: US missiles for Ukrainian drones — a capability-sharing agreement to strengthen both countries’ defense industries. 

An artilleryman of the 15th ‘Kara-Dag’ Brigade of the Operational Assignment of the National Guard of Ukraine fires a D-30 howitzer towards Russian troops, at a position, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv region, Ukraine October 17, 2025

A handout picture made available by the State Emergency press service shows the site of a Russian strike on a residential building in Chernihiv, Ukraine, 16 October 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion

Trump hinted at a potential peace summit hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, bringing Zelensky and Putin together. He acknowledged the personal animosity between the wartime leaders but expressed confidence that diplomacy could prevail.

The meeting came just one day after Trump agreed to a second sit-down with Putin in Hungary, with the White House playing up the Russian president’s flattery.

Trump said that after the call, he was more convinced that Putin was ready to make peace.

But Zelensky on Friday insisted that Putin ‘doesn’t want peace.

‘That’s why we need to put pressure on him’.

Trump on Friday also called on Kyiv and Moscow to ‘stop where they are’ and end their brutal war following his meeting with Zelensky.

‘Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts,’ Trump said in a Truth Social post not long after hosting Zelensky and his team for more than two hours of talks. 

‘They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!’ 

Trump on Friday refused Ukraine’s demands for Tomahawk missiles in a tense meeting in Washington

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) attends a lunch meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (R) at the White House on October 17, 2025, in Washington

The comments amounted to another shift in position on the war by Trump. 

In recent weeks, he had shown growing impatience with Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war.

After meeting with Zelensky in New York on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly last month, Trump even said he believed the Ukrainians could win back all the the territory they had lost to Russia since Putin launched the February 2022 invasion. 

That was a dramatic shift for Trump, who had previously insisted that Kyiv would have to concede land lost to Russia to end the war.

Zelensky after Friday’s meeting said it was time for a ceasefire and negotiations. He sidestepped directly answering a question about Trump nudging Ukraine to give up land.

‘The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak,’ Zelensky said when asked by reporters about Trump’s social media post, which he hadn’t seen. 

Meanwhile, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed a ‘productive’ call with European leaders on Friday, hours after Zelensky and Trump’s meeting at the White House. 

In a post on X, the Prime Minister called for a ‘just and lasting peace’ in Ukraine.

‘Productive call this evening with @ZelenskyyUa, other European leaders and @SecGenNATO,’ he said.

‘I reiterated our unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, the UK will continue to send humanitarian aid and military support.’

Downing Street confirmed Sir Keir spoke with Zelensky to ‘underscore the United Kingdom’s resolute support for Ukraine’.

A Government spokesperson said the two men reiterated their ‘unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression’.

‘Russia’s stalling tactics ahead of peace talks had shown Ukraine was the serious party of peace, the Prime Minister told the President,’ the spokesperson said.

‘The UK would continue to step up its support and would ensure Ukraine was in the strongest possible position going into the winter through ongoing humanitarian, financial and military support, the Prime Minister added.’

Leaders from Germany, Finland, Italy, Norway, and Poland were also on the call, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an event marking the 20th anniversary of the Russia Today (RT) TV channel at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia, 17 October 2025

Meanwhile on Friday, Russia faced a giant mystery explosion in Avangard military-linked plant in Russia’s Sterlitamak, Bashkortostan region, killing three and wounding nine.

The factory produces explosives and ammunition, and the detonation is a significant blow to the Russian war effort.

There was no evidence of a Ukrainian drone strike and a major criminal probe is underway to establish the cause, amid evidently fears of sabotage.

It follows an early mystery explosion at another Sterlitamak plant in August, wounding 36, when workers ‘fled like cockroaches’ to escape.

A Ukraine drone strike triggered a large explosion and power grid chaos hitting the Veshkayma 500 kV high-voltage substation in Ulyanovsk region, Russia.

And Russia’s premier resort Sochi faced a second night of hell as wailing sirens signalled drone warnings.

Loud explosions were heard in the Black Sea city in Krasnodar region.

Tourists and residents were ordered to take shelter in underground car parks and bomb shelters.

Yet it was one of the lightest nights of Ukrainian strikes on Russia in recent weeks.

New dramatic footage also showed the moment a drone on Friday exploded in flames a giant Russian Gvardeyskoye oil depot in occupied Crimea, triggering further petrol shortages on the peninsula.