Putin, Trump hold ‘frank’ one hour call after US envoys visit Moscow, Kyiv
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Putin, Trump hold ‘frank’ one hour call after US envoys visit Moscow, Kyiv")
This combination of pictures shows US President Donald Trump (L) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Photograph: (AFP)
Putin and Trump discussed the Ukraine war and recent US diplomatic efforts, while Russia maintained its battlefield confidence and Ukraine sought more US support for air defence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump spoke for about an hour on Tuesday (September 08) as Washington stepped up efforts to find a way to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The two leaders discussed the recent visits of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv. The visits formed part of Trump's latest diplomatic effort to bring Russia and Ukraine closer to a possible peace agreement.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as "extremely frank". He said Putin and Trump "exchanged views on the outcome of the visits".
Putin shares assessment of battlefield
Ushakov said Putin gave Trump an "objective and detailed analysis" of the battlefield situation. The Russian president also explained what the United States could realistically do to help end the fighting quickly.
Russia has continued to project confidence about its position in the war. Moscow has said its forces are advancing along the front and that its military goals remain unchanged.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said Russia remained committed to achieving its military objectives and believed "victory is very close" on the battlefield.
"We’re very confident in our military potential,” Peskov told reporters, while also saying Moscow wanted a peaceful solution and welcomed Trump's diplomatic efforts.
The latest phone call comes as Washington seeks fresh momentum in peace efforts. However, major differences between Moscow and Kyiv remain unresolved.
Putin denies plans to attack Europe
Putin also told Trump that Russia had "no aggressive plans" towards Europe, according to Ushakov.
The Kremlin has faced accusations over an alleged sabotage campaign targeting countries that support Ukraine. Moscow has rejected those accusations.
"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," Ushakov said.
"The myths being spread about the Russian threat serve as a pretext for Europeans to ramp up support for Ukraine and their own military spending," he added.
Concerns over Russia's intentions have also drawn attention in Washington. CIA chief John Ratcliffe made a surprise visit to Moscow in late August. US media reports said he warned Russia against attacking any NATO member.
