Trump Gets New Power Against Putin
A new sanctions bill is meant to pressure President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to end the war in Ukraine. But President Trump is doubling down on a different approach: offering enticements to Russia. President Trump shaking hands with President Vladimir Putin of Russia during their meeting in Alaska last year. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times By Anton Troianovski Reporting from Washington and Kyiv, Ukraine The New York Times Published Sept. 17, 2026 Updated Sept. 18, 2026, 6:45 p.m. ET Oiginal article contains links When President Trump’s envoys sat down with Vladimir V. Putin at the Kremlin this month, the Russian leader exuded confidence. Within months, he said, Russian troops would finally capture Ukraine’s entire Donbas region. And Russia was poised to pummel Ukraine’s electricity grid, setting the stage for a miserable winter. Then one of the envoys, Jared Kushner, tried to push back. With all due respect, you told us exactly that a year ago, Mr. Kushner said to the ...