Trump on Spider's Web operation: Ukrainians give Putin reason for bombing

Trump said this to journalists while speaking aboard Air Force One.

He was asked whether Ukraine’s strikes on Russian airfields had changed his opinion about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the so-called maps he possesses.

"Well, they gave Putin a reason to get involved and last night he bombed them to pieces. That’s what I didn’t like when I saw it. I said: 'Here we go, now there’s going to be a strike,'" Trump replied.

The U.S. President also said he does not believe a nuclear conflict will occur between Russia and Ukraine.

He also commented on the Senate’s draft bills regarding sanctions against Russia. Trump noted that if he believes Russia will not make a deal or stop the bloodshed, he will apply them.

"Yes, I will use it if necessary. And they really give me that opportunity," he said.

What is known about the SBU’s Spider's Web operation:

On June 1, 2025, the Ukrainian Security Service conducted a major operation called Spider's Web aimed at destroying Russian bomber aviation. It is known that 40 aircraft were damaged.

According to the Security Service, the estimated value of Russia's strategic aviation affected by the special operation amounts to 7 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that all terrorist attacks at military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were repelled.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked SBU Head Vasyl Maliuk for the operation’s results. He noted that the “office” of the SBU operation in Russia was located right next to the FSB administration in one of the regions. A total of 117 drones were used in the operation.

The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andrii Kovalenko, later reported that at least 13 Russian aircraft were destroyed and even more were damaged in the large-scale SBU operation.