Putin says talks with Ukraine cannot resume now, according to Kremlin aide after call with Trump

A Kremlin aide said early on Oct. 10 local time that Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. leader Donald Trump that talks with Ukraine cannot be resumed at this stage. According to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin used the call to describe Russia’s response to what he called terrorist attacks carried out by the Ukrainian armed forces. Putin also said Ukraine had tried to disrupt elections to the State Duma and had carried out attacks against civilians, which he said had undermined the possibility of an immediate return to negotiations. Ushakov added that Putin told Trump Ukraine’s effort to halt Russian military advances had no prospect of success, and that Russian forces currently held the initiative on the battlefield and were continuing to move forward. He also said Trump had instructed that Putin’s message be passed on to the Ukrainian delegation. Ushakov said the two sides did not hold specific discussions on a bilateral meeting between Putin and Trump. The report was cited by CCTV News.