President Donald Trump revealed that he had a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine’s recent attack on Russian aircraft and discussions about Iran’s nuclear program. The disclosure comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine,

The comments, in an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, were Trump’s clearest indication to date that he was unsure he would be able to quell Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin discussed the war in Ukraine with Pope Leo in a telephone call on Wednesday, with the Kremlin claiming the Russian president wanted peace through diplomacy.

President Trump said the Russian leader Vladimir Putin had warned that he would retaliate for a covert Ukrainian attack in Russia last weekend that destroyed dozens of Russian bombers.

The Russian attacks come after President Donald Trump likened the two sides to children on a playground who needed “to fight for a while.”

Russia launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles at multiple targets across a broad swath of Ukraine early Friday, killing at least four people in the capital and wounding around 40 across the country.