Ex-Australian special forces troops approached to train Russians to fight Ukraine, leaked report claims

On September 9, U.S. President Donald Trump hailed his recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as "great" during an interview with reporters. The call took place just before Trump boarded Air Force One to travel to Dallas for the Republican Midterm Convention. In the conversation, Putin reportedly expressed interest in reaching a deal, suggesting that both he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might be willing to make concessions.

The call occurred following Jared Kushner's and Steve Witkoff's first visit to Kyiv, where they discussed ending the war with Ukrainian officials. The trip followed a similar meeting in Moscow to discuss peace options with the Kremlin. However, Ukrainian President Zelensky later told reporters that he anticipated the war would continue into the winter months.

The Kremlin has consistently refused to agree to a ceasefire, demanding that Kyiv surrender the strategically important Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. In contrast, Ukraine has advocated for a ceasefire along existing battle lines while emphasizing the need for Western-backed security assurances to deter potential future Russian aggression.

As the peace talks faltered, Russian strikes intensified across Ukraine following the conclusion of a brief ceasefire during Kushner and Witkoff's visit. On September 8, a massive Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv resulted in at least five deaths and 35 injuries, triggering widespread fires that engulfed the city in smoke.

Additionally, a suspected Russian drone violated Moldovan airspace on the same day, raising concerns about a possible assassination attempt on Zelensky. When questioned about the prospects of a peace deal, Trump suggested that the impasse stemmed from the personal animosity between Putin and Zelensky.