A national security expert has issued a sobering warning following President Donald Trump’s recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was closely followed by a massive missile barrage over Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv.
Beth Sanner, a former deputy director of national intelligence, appeared on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins Thursday night to analyze the concerning timing of Russia’s latest assault. The missile attack came just hours after Trump confirmed he had a lengthy phone conversation with Putin.
“If you look back at every time that he said, ‘Stop, Vladimir,’ or made a call, he strikes — Putin strikes again within the next day,” said Sanner. “I get why this administration wants to keep the dialogue open, but Putin responds every time with a finger.”
She added bluntly, “At some point, I mean, if I were in Ukraine, I’d be like, ‘Uh, stop calling President Putin because it rains missiles down on us.’”
Sanner’s remarks came as CNN correspondent Jim Sciutto reported that Kyiv was facing an intense and sustained Russian attack on Thursday, with at least 13 different sites hit by missiles and drones. Among the targets were residential neighborhoods, and at least eight civilians were reportedly injured as air raid sirens echoed throughout the capital.
President Trump acknowledged the call with Putin while speaking to reporters earlier in the day. He described the conversation as “pretty long” and said the two discussed a range of topics, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and Iran’s regional influence. However, Trump admitted, “I didn’t make any progress with them today at all.”
Critics say the optics of the call — followed so closely by a violent escalation — are troubling, especially amid ongoing concerns about the Trump administration’s recent decision to halt shipments of vital U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Included in that pause are air defense systems that Ukrainian officials say are critical to protecting cities from aerial bombardments.
Sanner’s warning echoed broader fears within the intelligence and defense communities that Putin may be using high-profile diplomatic outreach as cover or pretext for further aggression — and that such gestures from the U.S. may not be having the intended effect.
As Kyiv reels from the latest round of missile strikes, questions continue to mount over whether open dialogue with Moscow is achieving peace or enabling further violence.