TL;DR
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on September 8, 2026 for one hour; Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described the call as "constructive and very frank," with the two leaders focusing on resolving the Ukraine issue and reviewing the results of the US special envoy's visit to Russia and Ukraine.
Event overview
On September 8, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone call. According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, the call lasted one hour; the two leaders exchanged views in a mutually respectful and pragmatic manner on the results of the visit to Moscow and Kyiv by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on September 5–6, positively assessed the US delegation's trip, and agreed to keep communicating through this channel.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | September 8, 2026; call lasted one hour |
| Actors | Russian President Vladimir Putin / US President Donald Trump |
| Spokesperson | Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov |
| Main topics | Resolving the Ukraine issue; review of the Witkoff–Kushner visit to Moscow and Kyiv on September 5–6 |
| Positions | Putin pointed to measures the US could take to end the special military operation sooner; Trump said he intends to achieve a breakthrough on Ukraine during his term |
Related developments: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on September 8 that he expects to meet Trump in mid-to-late September to discuss anti-ballistic-missile supplies, adding that Ukraine is moving toward a trilateral negotiation format. A UN spokesperson said on September 8 that Secretary-General António Guterres is encouraged by diplomatic efforts including the US envoy's visits to Moscow and Kyiv.
Background and impact
The call is the latest high-level communication between the two presidents after the Witkoff–Kushner visit to Russia and Ukraine. The US delegation visited Moscow and Kyiv on September 5–6, and Witkoff said on social media on September 7 that the visit achieved "substantial progress." The call is seen as a significant signal for the Ukraine peace process; as of September 9, 2026, no official ceasefire or negotiation timetable has been published.