Trump and Putin have an hour-long phone call about the war in Ukraine; US seeks to resume stalled peace talks | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held an hour-long telephone conversation on Tuesday (September 8th) to discuss efforts to revive talks to end the war in Ukraine after US envoys left for Moscow and Kiev.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as “constructive and completely honest.” He said the two leaders discussed recent visits by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who met Putin in Moscow before traveling to Kiev for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump seeks a quick end to the war in Ukraine
Trump told Putin he wanted the conflict to end as soon as possible, Ushakov said. A quick solution could pave the way for a full restoration of US-Russian relations, according to a Kremlin adviser.
Trump also wants a breakthrough during his presidency, with improved trade and economic ties between Washington and Moscow that could benefit both countries, Ushakov said.
According to the Kremlin, Putin supported Trump’s move.
Witkoff, Kushner act in Moscow and Kyiv
Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin in Moscow for more than three hours on Saturday (September 5). Ushakov described these discussions as substantive, constructive, extremely honest and trusting.
The two US envoys subsequently traveled to Kyiv, where they held talks with Zelensky on Sunday as part of their first visit to the Ukrainian capital as part of the latest diplomatic push.
Both Trump and Putin discussed the visits positively during a phone call on Tuesday, Ushakov said.
No breakthrough in negotiations in Moscow
Despite renewed diplomatic activity, talks in Moscow failed to produce a breakthrough, according to people familiar with the issue.
Putin remains determined to secure control of all of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, while Kiev has repeatedly rejected Moscow’s demand to hand over the fortified strip of cities there.
Russian forces have failed to capture the cities in fighting that dates back to 2014. Ukraine has instead proposed that the war be stopped along existing front lines.
Putin says Russia has no hostile plans against Europe
During the call, Putin gave Trump his assessment of the situation on the battlefield and stressed that Russia has no hostile plans toward Europe, Ushakov said.
The statement comes amid lingering concerns in Europe about the wider implications of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyi does not see a quick end to the war
Zelenskyy said after the talks that he does not see a quick end to the conflict.
Ukraine is preparing for another harsh winter and is looking for additional air defense systems to protect against Russian attacks, he said.
Zelenskyy also argued that territorial issues should ultimately be resolved at the “leader level”, signaling that major decisions will require direct cooperation between the countries’ top leadership.
Trump and Putin agree to stay in touch
Ushakov said Trump and Putin agreed to continue communicating and speak on the phone again if necessary.
The two leaders also agreed on the need to continue the prisoner exchange, although the Kremlin did not provide further details of the discussions.
The latest diplomatic push follows the collapse of efforts to end the war in February, when Trump’s focus shifted to the conflict with Iran.
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