Story perspectives

Trump Calls Putin on Ukraine Settlement, Keeps Exchanges

9/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a Ukraine settlement.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the call constructive and frank.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin said both would keep contact and continue prisoner exchanges.
Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
After the envoys left, Russian forces bombed Kyiv, killing five civilians and wounding 25.

History

Historical Context

On 5 December 1994 the United States, United Kingdom and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum, pledging to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty after it gave up 13 nuclear warheads. The United States later contributed about $300 million through the Nunn-Lugar program and $310 million in economic aid that year. Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its 2022 invasion broke those assurances, a context echoed in Donald Trump’s call with Vladimir Putin.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a Ukraine settlement.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the call constructive and frank.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin said both would keep contact and continue prisoner exchanges.
Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
After the envoys left, Russian forces bombed Kyiv, killing five civilians and wounding 25.

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