Source says Trump advised Putin not to escalate Ukraine war, Kremlin denies conversation

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advised him not to escalate the Ukraine war, a source familiar with the conversation said, but the Kremlin denied the two had spoken.

The source told Reuters on Sunday that Trump, who has criticized the scale of U.S. military and financial support for Kyiv and said he will end the war quickly, had spoken to Putin in recent days.

The Washington Post first reported the call had taken place, citing unidentified sources, and said Trump had told Putin that he should not escalate the Ukraine war.

But, in an unusual move, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday no such call had taken place.

"This is completely untrue. This is pure fiction, it's just false information," he told reporters. "There was no conversation."

"This is the most obvious example of the quality of the information that is being published now, sometimes even in fairly reputable publications," he said.

Asked if Putin had plans for any contacts with Trump, Peskovsaid,"There are no concrete plans yet."

Trump spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Wednesday.

Asked about the purported Trump-Putin call, Steven Cheung, Trump's communications director, said, "We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders."

The Republican will take office on Jan. 20 after defeating Vice-PresidentKamala Harrisin theNov. 5 presidentialelection. Biden has invitedTrumpto come to the Oval Office on Wednesday, the White House said.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that Biden's top message will be his commitment to ensure a peaceful transfer of power,andhe will also talk toTrumpabout what's happening in Europe, in Asiaandthe Middle East.

"President Biden will have the opportunity over the next 70 days to make the case to the Congressandto the incoming administration that the United States should not walk away from Ukraine, that walking away from Ukraine means more instability in Europe," Sullivan told CBS News'sFace the Nationshow.

Massive drone attack on Moscow

Sullivan's comments came as Ukraineattacked Moscowon Sunday with at least 34 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the beginning of the war. On Monday, drones, glide bombs and a ballistic missile struck southern Ukraine, killing at least six civilians and injuring around 30 others.

When asked if Biden wouldask Congress to pass legislation to authorize more funding for Ukraine, Sullivan deferred.

"I'm not here to put forward a specific legislative proposal. President Biden will make the case that we do need ongoing resources for Ukraine beyond the end of his term," Sullivan said.

Russia has been signaling to the United States and itsallies for weeks that if they give permission to Ukraine tostrike deep into Russian territory with Western-suppliedmissiles, then Moscow will consider it a major escalation.

Putin said on Sept. 12 that Western approval for such a stepwould mean "the direct involvement of NATO countries, the UnitedStates and European countries in the war in Ukraine" becauseNATO military infrastructure and personnel would have to beinvolved in the targeting and firing of the missiles.

WATCH |Trump has criticized sending Ukraine billions in military aid:

Ukraine, Russia brace for Trumps return to the White House

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Some Ukrainians are expressing uneasiness that Donald Trumps U.S. election win could mean an end to the country's support against Russia. Trump has publicly criticized sending Ukraine billions in military aid, and has said he could make a deal to end the war in a day.

Washington has provided tens of billions of dollars worth of U.S. military and economic aid to Ukraine since it wasinvadedby Russia in February 2022, funding that Trump has repeatedly criticized and rallied against with other Republican lawmakers.

Trumpinsisted last year thatPutinnever would have invaded Ukraine if he had been in the White House at the time. He told Reuters that Ukraine may have to cede territory to reach a peace agreement, something the Ukrainians rejectand that Biden has never suggested.

Zelenskyysaid on Thursdayhe was not aware of any details ofTrump's plan to end the Ukraine war quicklyandthat he was convinced a rapid end would entail major concessions for Kyiv.

WATCH | Expert weighs in on Trump,Ukraine and Musk:

Musk will be a force in U.S. government, war in Ukraine: expert says | Canada Tonight

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that he spoke with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump following his victory. Additionally, multiple outlets have reported that billionaire Elon Musk joined the call as well. Nicholas Drummond, a former British Army officer, says Musk could be a good influence on Trump.

According to the Government Accountability Office, Congress appropriated over $174 billion US to Ukraine under Biden. The pace of the aid is almost sure to drop under Trump with Republicans set to take control of the U.S. Senate with a 52-seat majority. Control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the next Congress is not yet clear,with some votes still being counted.

Putin casts the2-year-old waras a battle between Russia and the declining West, which he saysignored Russia's interests after the 1991 Soviet collapse.

Ukraine and its Western allies say Putin unleashed animperial-style war against its smaller neighbour and haverepeatedly said that if Russia wins the war then autocraticcountries across the world will be emboldened.

Republican U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, a Trump ally who is considered a top contender for secretary of state, criticized U.S. funding for Ukraine, in a CBS interview.

"The American people want sovereignty protected here in America before we spend our funds and resources protecting the sovereignty of another nation."