The White House is privately debating whether to scale back support for Ukraine following a series of drone strikes that hit Russian military airfields over the weekend, according to multiple officials familiar with internal discussions.
The strikes, which targeted long-range bombers at bases deep inside Russian territory, were hailed by Ukrainian officials as a strategic victory.
But inside the White House, the attacks triggered concern that Kyiv may be risking a broader escalation with Moscow, prompting renewed doubts about continued US military assistance.
US President Donald Trump expressed frustration over the operation and its timing, several administration officials told The Atlantic anonymously.
Privately, Trump is reported to have questioned whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is undermining ongoing peace efforts and dragging the United States toward a wider war.
According to multiple sources, the drone attack reignited Trump’s long-held skepticism of Zelensky, whom he has previously described as reckless and difficult to work with. Officials said Trump was particularly angry that Ukraine did not inform Washington in advance of the operation, which reportedly caused billions of dollars in damage to Russian assets.
Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the incident. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the two discussed Ukraine’s drone attacks on “docked airplanes” and other recent battlefield developments. He noted that Putin promised to respond, but said the conversation did not lead to any immediate breakthroughs on peace.
Trump has not yet made a final decision on the future of US aid to Ukraine, but senior officials have presented him with several options, including imposing new sanctions on Russia and cutting back military support to Kyiv.
Efforts to broker a cease-fire have also stalled. Trump had hoped for progress in recent peace talks in Turkey, but those discussions faltered in the wake of the drone strike. Ukrainian officials had signaled a willingness to pause hostilities, but Russian officials rejected the offer and instead intensified bombing campaigns across Ukrainian cities.
The White House has confirmed it was not given prior notice of the strike, which involved drones launched across multiple time zones and struck nuclear-capable bombers, according to US assessments.
Critics inside Trump’s political circle have also voiced strong opposition to Ukraine’s actions. Former White House strategist Steve Bannon on his podcast this week accused Zelensky of sabotaging peace efforts and compared the drone attack to a “sneak attack” on the eve of negotiations. According to one official, Bannon has relayed those concerns directly to West Wing advisers.
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine, warned the strikes may provoke a significant Russian response. “The risk levels are going way up,” Kellogg said in a Fox News interview, pointing to the targeting of Russia’s nuclear infrastructure.