Trump-Putin call expected "shortly" after Russian guided-bomb strike kills one in Zaporizhzhia

A Russian guided-bomb attack struck Zaporizhzhia on 9 October 2026, killing one person and wounding nine others, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that a phone call between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected "shortly."

The announcement of an imminent Trump-Putin conversation marks a potentially significant diplomatic moment in the Russia-Ukraine War, coming at a time when the front lines remain active and Moscow has publicly rebuffed Kyiv's latest peace overtures on energy infrastructure.

What happened

Russian forces carried out a guided-bomb strike on Zaporizhzhia, the southern Ukrainian city that sits near the front line, on 9 October 2026. The attack left one person dead and nine wounded, adding to a pattern of aerial strikes that have repeatedly targeted the city and its surrounding region throughout the conflict.

Hours after the strike, Peskov confirmed to reporters that a telephone conversation between Trump and Putin would take place in the near term, without specifying a precise date or agenda. The announcement signals that direct communication between Washington and Moscow at the highest level remains active.

Why it matters

The prospect of a Trump-Putin call carries weight for the trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine War at a moment when diplomatic channels are contested. Moscow has indicated it views the United Arab Emirates as a potential venue for a new round of trilateral negotiations on Ukraine, according to Peskov, though no concrete framework has been agreed.

At the same time, the Kremlin has closed the door on one of Kyiv's key proposals: Peskov stated that no concrete discussions are under way regarding a halt to strikes on energy infrastructure, rejecting Ukraine's proposed energy-sector truce. Russia's conditions for a ceasefire, Peskov added, remain those announced by Putin two years ago — a position that leaves little visible common ground with Ukraine's stated terms.

Broader conflict picture

The strike on Zaporizhzhia is part of a sustained campaign of aerial attacks across Ukraine. Russian drones struck Kyiv during daytime hours on 8 October 2026, killing two people and wounding 25, according to the city's mayor. A separate Russian attack on Kramatorsk on 8 October set a bus ablaze, while Ukrainian forces have continued their own long-range strikes, hitting targets deep inside Russian territory.

The diplomatic backdrop is equally turbulent. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has vowed that the objectives of Moscow's military operation will be achieved, while accusing Europe of doing "everything it can to thwart peace talks." In the United States, senators have been pressing the Trump administration to act swiftly on Russian sanctions to support Ukraine.

What to watch next

• The Trump-Putin phone call, expected "shortly" according to Peskov, and any readout on its substance or outcomes.
• Whether the UAE-hosted trilateral negotiations on Ukraine materialise, as signalled by Moscow.
• Further Russian aerial operations against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, and Ukraine's continued long-range strike campaign inside Russia.
• The US Senate's next steps on potential new sanctions against Russia.

The timing and content of the Trump-Putin call will be closely watched as the clearest near-term signal of whether Washington and Moscow can find any shared framework for de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine War.