WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said he doubted Russia's allegation that Ukraine attacked President Vladimir Putin's residence.

"It is unclear whether it actually happened," Whitaker told Fox Business "Varney & Co." in an interview on December 30 about the alleged incident, which Ukraine has denied.

It seemed doubtful that Ukraine would want a peace deal done, and then to do something so reckless, he said.

On December 29, Russia said Ukraine had attacked a presidential residence in the Novgorod region with 91 long-range attack drones. It said it would retaliate and that its negotiating stance would toughen in the talks.

Ukraine called out Russia's accusations and claimed they were being made to justify more attacks by Moscow. Also, Russia had not provided any evidence for this claim, the Ukrainian foreign minister said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Putin told him in a phone call that Ukraine tried to attack the residence. Trump said he was "very angry" about it. Trump said they would find out if such an attack took place.

The White House declined to comment further on the alleged incident, and U.S. intelligence officials have remained silent. The CIA also refused to comment.

Whitaker said the focus would be on what U.S. and allied intelligence agencies conclude about whether the attack actually took place.

After meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Florida over the weekend, Trump said he and Zelenskiy were possibly very close to an agreement, though major territorial disputes remain unresolved.

Zelenskiy said earlier that the reported "residence strike" was completely false and was meant to justify more attacks on Ukraine, including Kyiv, and Russia's refusal to take steps to end the war. He called it a typical Russian lie.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, controls just under one-fifth of Ukraine's territory and says its forces are advancing.