Following a weekend of meetings between the vaudeville team of Witkoff & Kushner and the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, the promised phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin finally took place today.

According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, the hour-long call was
“extremely frank” and “constructive” (the usual diplomatic adjectives applied to communications between opposing sides). He added that they had “focused on the issue of a settlement in Ukraine,” and that Putin had given Trump an “objective and detailed analysis [of the frontline situation], pointing out what the Americans could realistically do to bring the hostilities to a swift conclusion.” [Kyiv Post, September 8, 2026.]

[Ed.Note: What seems to be missing is what the Russians — who started this war — could realistically do to bring the hostilities to a swift conclusion.]

In what was apparently supposed to be a gesture of reassurance, Ushakov also said that Putin had stressed that Russia has “no aggressive plans” toward Europe. [Id.]

Right. I’m sure all of Europe will now rush to disarm.

*. *. *

As of this writing, there is some further word on the demands Putin presented to Ukrainian President Zelensky by way of Messrs. Witkoff and Kushner, which I will discuss in my early post tomorrow. Meanwhile, I wanted to get this bit of un-newsworthy news out of the way.

Incidentally, no sooner had the U.S. emissaries left Kyiv than Russia’s bombardment on the capital city resumed . . . in spades.

So much for Putin’s professed desire for peace.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/8/26