'Attack' on Putin meant to hurt peace efforts: Kremlin

Moscow [Russia], December 31: The Kremlin on Tuesday described an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin's residence as a terrorist act aimed at undermining ongoing peace efforts.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the strike targeted not only Putin but also efforts by US President Donald Trump to broker a peace deal to end the war, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
"This is aimed at disrupting President Trump's efforts to promote a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict," he said. The alleged drone strike took place on Sunday night on the residence in the Valdai region, between Moscow and St Petersburg. Putin later discussed the incident with Trump, who said: "It's no good." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the accusations were "typical Russian lies" and said Moscow was using the claim to distract from its refusal to end the war.
Peskov said Russia would adopt a tougher stance in ongoing negotiations but denied any plans to withdraw from talks. "Such provocations, such acts of state terrorism, are not capable of undermining this level of trusting dialogue between the two presidents," he said. Peskov dismissed denials from Zelensky and his allies as meaningless, and said the Russian military would respond to the attack.
Senior officials from Ukraine and Western countries will meet in Kiev in early January in a further effort to end the war started by Russia almost four years ago, Zelensky said on Tuesday. The summit of national security advisers from the "coalition of the willing" is planned for January 3, Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
On January 6, another of meeting of heads of state is planned in France, he added.
"We are grateful to President [Donald] Trump's team for their willingness to participate in both formats," he added, referring to his US counterpart. The "coalition of the willing" refers to Western countries that are helping Ukraine to shape a peace deal with Moscow. Last weekend, Trump welcomed Zelensky to Florida for talks on ending the war. Although both sides were optimistic about the progress of the negotiations afterwards, no concrete progress was announced.
Source: Qatar Tribune