Trump calls with Putin after peace envoys visit to Moscow, Kyiv
A U.S. official told the Kyiv Independent on Sept. 6 that Trump would call the Russian leader after being briefed by his envoys. The U.S. president is then expected to call with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 8, according to the Kremlin. This call followed the recent visits by Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to facilitate a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. During the call, Putin presented his perspective on the war and informed Trump of his assessment.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Putin assured Trump that Russia has no plans to be aggressive towards Europe.
The White House announced that Trump planned to subsequently call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the meetings with Putin. During his discussion with Putin, Trump stressed the importance of ending the conflict in Ukraine, which would pave the way for the restoration of relations between Russia and the United States.
The envoys held talks with Zelensky's team on September 6, the day after their meeting with Putin in Moscow. While the Moscow talks yielded "substantive plans for next steps," a breakthrough eluded the negotiating parties, as Putin appears committed to advancing his war against Ukraine. One of the proposed initiatives involved a mutual cessation of aerial strikes, an idea that Russia has not conceded to thus far.
Moscow only acquiesced to a limited three-day halt in strikes against the capital cities during the envoys' visits.
Following the meetings with the U.S. envoys, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in a press conference that the war is likely to persist throughout the winter months. Ukraine anticipates forthcoming Russian strikes on its energy grid. The most significant advancement thus far seems to be the U.S.'s push for trilateral talks, an option the Kremlin has not dismissed.
These renewed discussions occur amidst the U.S.-led peace efforts hitting a dead end due to Washington's shifting focus to the war in Iran, while Kyiv and Moscow remain far apart on territorial matters. Putin informed the U.S. envoys on September 5 that Russia intends to achieve its objectives and that Moscow seeks to resolve the underlying causes of its war.
The Kremlin has consistently rejected a ceasefire and demands that Kyiv cede the strategically vital region of Donbas. In contrast, Ukraine advocates for a ceasefire along the existing front lines while emphasizing the significance of Western-backed security assurances to deter any potential Russian aggression in the future.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
