Trump tells Putin: end Ukraine war fast, restore ties — SkimNews
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- Trump told Putin in a one-hour phone call on September 8 that he wants the Ukraine war ended "as soon as possible" and US-Russia relations fully restored, per Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov
- Putin endorsed Trump's approach, with Ushakov saying the Russian leader "supported this approach" and rated the weekend diplomacy by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner "with a plus sign"
- The call followed Witkoff and Kushner's weekend visit to Moscow and Kyiv, which raised the possibility of resumed three-way talks — a point the Kremlin's readout notably did not mention
- Trump framed a quick end to the war as opening up "impressive and far-reaching" trade and economic benefits, and told Putin he wants a breakthrough achieved during his presidency
- A person close to the Kremlin said Putin remains intent on taking full control of the remainder of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, something Kyiv has vowed to resist "with every weapon at its disposal"
- Putin told Trump Russia has "absolutely no aggressive plans whatsoever towards Europe" and dismissed European claims of a Russian threat as "myths" used to justify increased military spending
- Putin and Trump agreed on the need to continue prisoner exchanges, and Ushakov said they would stay in touch and speak by phone again if needed
Why it matters: The Kremlin readout's biggest tells are what's missing: no mention of the three-way talks Witkoff and Kushner floated over the weekend, and no movement on Donetsk, which a Kremlin source says remains Putin's precondition. Russia's maximum demand hasn't shifted, so Trump's push for speed is running into the same impasse that stalled earlier rounds.
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