Russia Matters, 9/11/26

1. Ukraine’s allies wonder why Kyiv needs $27 billion more from them to make it through the year: In late August, Volodymyr Zelenskyy told allies that Ukraine will need $27 billion more to get through this year due to “an unexpectedly large defense budget shortfall,” NYT reports. “Ukraine’s request surprised and unsettled many officials around Europe at a moment when Kyiv, short on air defenses to protect itself from nonstop Russian drone and missile attacks, faces one of its most dangerous moments since 2022,” according to NYT. The request came after the European Union signed off on an over $100 billion loan for Ukraine earlier this year. According to NYT, “European officials are scrambling to understand where the shortfall came from, exactly how large it is and whether, or how, to send more money this year.” In the meantime, Ukraine is also “asking Britain, Canada and Japan to help cover the gap,” NYT reports. In assessing who is winning and who is losing the Russia-Ukraine war, the question of how each can sustain its effort is critical. And who is pleading with the world for gifts or grants to allow it to get through the year?*
2. Russian forces made a net gain of 14 square miles of Ukraine’s territory in the past four weeks (Aug. 11–Sept. 8, 2026). In comparison, Russia made a net gain of 33 square miles during the previous four-week period (July 14–Aug. 11, 2026), according to DeepState’s data analyzed in the latest issue of the Russia-Ukraine War Report Card. In the one-week period of Sept. 1–8, 2026, Russian forces saw a net gain of 20 square miles of Ukrainian territory. In that one-week period, Russian forces advanced near 15 Ukrainian settlements, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces regained control of an area near one settlement (Dvorichna), according to the map maintained by DeepState.
3. No breakthroughs reported after U.S. envoys’ trip to Moscow and Kyiv: U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held more than three hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sept. 5, but the meeting produced no publicly announced agreement. Kremlin officials described the discussions as substantive and constructive, while Putin reportedly reiterated Russia’s battlefield claims and demands concerning what Moscow calls the conflict’s “root causes.” According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the discussions said Putin remains committed to continuing the war and seeks control of all of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Oblast, believing Russian forces could achieve that objective within six months. Russian officials reportedly told the U.S. negotiators that Russia would be prepared to resume peace talks after State Duma elections scheduled for Sept. 18–20. Upon meeting Putin, the U.S. envoys then traveled to Kyiv to hold their first official talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Ukrainian capital on Sept. 6. The approximately three-hour discussions, conducted in two meetings with Zelenskyy and a third involving British, French and German national security advisers, reportedly explored new ideas for reviving trilateral negotiations among the United States, Russia and Ukraine, including issues such as, air defense, winter assistance, energy support, security and economic guarantees, territorial control and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. 
4. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a one-hour phone call on Sept. 8 after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv to revive negotiations over the war in Ukraine on Sept 5-6. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as constructive and candid, saying the leaders positively assessed the envoys’ visits, agreed to remain in contact and supported continuing talks among Washington, Moscow and Kyiv. Trump urged Putin to end the war quickly, linking a settlement to expanded U.S.-Russian trade and economic cooperation. Putin said Russia had no aggressive plans toward Europe and praised U.S. diplomatic efforts, but reaffirmed Moscow’s war aims and demands that Ukraine surrender the remainder of the eastern region of Donbas, abandon NATO ambitions and accept military restrictions.