Putin and Trump Hold ‘Frank’ Phone Call After US Envoys Visit Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held an “extremely frank” phone conversation on Tuesday, following a weekend visit to Moscow and Kyiv by senior US negotiators, the Kremlin said.

 

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that the one-hour call focused on the outcome of the visits by Trump’s business ally Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Both men had met with Putin in Moscow and with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

 

Ushakov said the discussion did not produce any immediate breakthrough in the war, now in its fourth and a half year.

 

“Putin and Trump exchanged views on the outcome of the visits,” Ushakov said.

 

According to him, Putin gave Trump an “objective and detailed analysis” of the situation on the frontlines in Ukraine. The Russian leader maintains that Russian forces are advancing across the entire front and that capturing the entire eastern Donbas region is only a matter of time.

 

Ushakov added that Putin also outlined what the US could do to bring the hostilities to a quick end, without providing details.

 

Moscow continues to insist on its conditions for ending the war, including that Ukraine cede territory in the east that is not currently under Russian control.

 

On relations with Europe, Ushakov said Putin told Trump that Russia has “no aggressive plans” toward European states.

 

“In view of the speculation regarding Russia’s alleged hostile intentions towards European states, it was emphasised that we have absolutely no aggressive plans whatsoever towards Europe,” he said.

 

The Kremlin has denied accusations from European countries that it is behind a sabotage campaign against Ukraine’s supporters over the summer.

 

Ushakov also dismissed concerns about a Russian threat to Europe, saying such claims are used to justify increased military spending and support for Ukraine.

 

The call came weeks after CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a surprise visit to Moscow in late August. US media reported that Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking any NATO country.