Extremely Frank

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone for one hour on Tuesday. The Kremlin described the conversation as "constructive and quite frank." The White House did not comment.[1]

According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Trump told Putin he wants the war in Ukraine ended "as soon as possible." He promised that ending the conflict would "immediately open up prospects" for the full restoration of US-Russia relations, with "impressive and far-reaching" benefits, particularly for trade and economic ties. Trump said he wants a "breakthrough" during his presidency.

Putin "supported this approach" and praised the mediation efforts of the US and Trump personally. He also provided what Ushakov called "an objective and extensive analysis" of Russia's "special military operation" and its vision for "achieving the goals and objectives" on the battlefield. In plain terms: Putin told Trump what Russia wants to achieve militarily, and Trump told Putin what he wants to achieve diplomatically. Both described the call as positive.[2]

The call followed visits by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv on September 5-6. Ushakov said the outcome of those visits was assessed as "positive" and that work through this channel will continue. Translation: more negotiations are coming.

Putin also pushed back against concerns that Russia could launch future attacks in Europe, including on NATO members. "It was underlined that we don't have any aggressive plans regarding Europe," Ushakov said. This is the same message Putin has delivered repeatedly since 2022, when he said Russia had no plans to invade Ukraine.

While the two leaders were having their frank conversation, Russia was bombing Kyiv. At least five people were killed in missile strikes on September 8, as a three-day pause in attacks that had coincided with the US envoys' visits came to an end.[3]

The gap between the diplomatic language and the battlefield reality is the entire story. Trump talks about breakthroughs and restored relations. Putin talks about achieving his military objectives. Ukraine buries its dead. The missiles do not pause for phone calls.

There is no ceasefire. There are no direct Ukraine-Russia talks. There is a US president who wants a deal, a Russian president who says he is open to one while continuing to fight, and a Ukrainian president who was visited by envoys but not included in the phone call. The "breakthrough" Trump envisions would have to be built on terms that Putin is willing to accept, and Putin's terms, as he told Trump on Tuesday, include achieving the goals of what Russia calls its "special military operation."

What those goals are, exactly, Putin did not specify. He never does.