Putin calls Trump: ‘We have no aggressive plans towards Europe’

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the West has, on several occasions, persuaded Ukraine to reject peaceful solutions with Russia, and so it should not now get ‘too excited’ about the presentation of ‘new ideas’ to resolve the conflict. “There have been many warnings, and more than enough options for making peace,” Lavrov said in an interview with the online project Sama Menshova, reported by TASS. “A very interesting article has appeared in an American publication, The American Conservative, which sets out over several pages how the West prevented Ukraine from signing its own peace initiatives that we had accepted,” Lavrov added. “So now they shouldn’t get too carried away about their ‘new ideas’,” concluded the Russian foreign minister. Furthermore, according to Lavrov, the American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reiterated to Moscow President Donald Trump’s position, which rules out Ukraine’s accession to NATO and acknowledges the reality on the ground. This position has been welcomed by Moscow, which wishes to continue the dialogue.

“The US negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are tackling the issue without making demands that are simply, firstly, unfair and, secondly, impossible. Europe, on the other hand, is doing exactly that,” Lavrov said in an interview on Channel One.

As for Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he hopes to meet Donald Trump by the end of September to discuss a package of support for Kyiv’s air defences, where Russia has stepped up its missile and drone attacks over the summer. The Ukrainian leader told journalists that he was “counting on a meeting” with the US President after 20 September, during which he will seek to secure US supplies to help intercept Russian ballistic missiles.

“Russia is rebuilding its armed forces and its defence industrial capacity: we must be prepared to face a protracted conflict and to meet Ukraine’s needs in the months and years ahead,” said the US Under Secretary of Defence Elbridge Colby.

In response , Putin assured Trump that he had no intention of attacking Europe . Russia “has absolutely no aggressive plans towards Europe”, the Russian president assured his US counterpart today during a telephone call. This was reported by Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov. “Myths about the Russian threat merely serve as a pretext for Europeans to increase support for Ukraine and their own military spending,” added Ushakov, as quoted by Interfax. The conversation lasted about an hour, Putin’s adviser emphasised.

Then there is the UK, which has already delivered 25,000 drones to Ukraine as part of its commitment to supply 120,000 over the course of the year. Thousands more will be delivered shortly, British Defence Minister Wes Streeting said today.

“We are also making significant progress in fulfilling the commitments made by my predecessors to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year. So far, we have delivered more than 25,000, and thousands more will be delivered in the near future,” explained the British minister.

“These drones cover the full spectrum of the capabilities required: they will help Ukraine to fight directly against Russia, to defend itself by shooting down Russian drones, and also to monitor what is happening on the battlefield and beyond the front line,” he said at the start of the meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defence.

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, the scandals surrounding corruption which in recent weeks have already affected the inner circle of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The latest case concerns Ukraine’s Attorney General, Ruslan Kravchenko, who resigned from his post following allegations of corruption. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo) have stated that they have uncovered a money-laundering scheme “led by an official from the Prosecutor General’s Office” and that they have carried out searches, including at the prosecutor’s offices.

This line of inquiry relates to an investigation into illegal call centres. According to the investigators, the criminal network involved received money to protect the call centres carrying out telephone scams and ‘laundered millions of dollars’. Telephone scams have risen dramatically in both Ukraine and Russia over the course of more than four years of war. According to NABU, the bribes were allegedly used to purchase property, jewellery and other valuable assets. On Sunday, Kravchenko issued a statement on social media saying he ‘rejects the allegations’, describing them as ‘completely unfounded’ and denying any wrongdoing. However, he subsequently announced on Telegram that he had tendered his resignation as Attorney General. “I do not want the office of Prosecutor General to be used as a tool for political confrontation. My position regarding the allegations remains unchanged,” added Kravchenko, explaining his decision.

For years, Kyiv has been fighting to root out corruption, which persists even during the Russian invasion, and illegal call centres are another widespread criminal enterprise. According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime (GI-TOC), based in Switzerland, this type of illegal activity employs around 60,000 people in Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia may declare a truce on attacks on energy infrastructure this winter. This was revealed by a source speaking to RBC-Ukraine following weekend talks between envoys Witkoff and Kushner and Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The source confirmed that it is unlikely that any significant diplomatic progress will be made before the Russian State Duma elections, which are due to take place from 18 to 20 September. Subsequently, a trilateral or even quadrilateral summit (involving several European countries) is possible, most likely in one of the Persian Gulf states. “Obviously, there is the possibility of a ceasefire – at least a limited one – until winter or throughout the winter, for example, with no mutual attacks on energy infrastructure. And then, opportunities for a further agreement might arise,” the source noted.