Putin tells Trump drone strikes have blocked immediate Ukraine talks

On October 10, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a long telephone conversation dominated by the war in Ukraine and energy. According to Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin told Trump that Kyiv had undermined the possibility of an immediate resumption of trilateral peace talks after Ukrainian drones struck Moscow and other Russian cities, polling stations and specific officials during Russia's recent election. The Kremlin said both sides would nonetheless consider when US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations might restart. Beyond Ukraine, the two leaders discussed economic cooperation. Trump said Russia had agreed to immediately supply diesel to US and global markets in a bid to lower fuel prices ahead of the November US midterm elections, while Putin raised prospects for broader energy deals. The Kremlin readout was echoed by Xinhua and the Moscow Times. Western analysts said the call signaled Moscow was in no rush to return to the negotiating table, prolonging a conflict that has triggered renewed Russian strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure.