MOSCOW, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of calls on Friday, August 8, 2025, with the leaders of China, India and several allied states to update them on his recent discussions with the United States over the war in Ukraine.
The outreach followed Putin’s meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The Kremlin has said a summit between Putin and Trump could take place as early as next week, though no date, venue or agenda has been confirmed.
Trump, who has been pressing for an agreement to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict, had set a deadline for Russia to agree to peace terms by Friday, August 15, 2025 or face new sanctions on Moscow and on countries buying Russian exports.
China and India are among the largest importers of Russian oil.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, President Xi Jinping told Putin during their call that Beijing welcomed the continued contact between Russia and the US as a step towards a political settlement in Ukraine.
China has been a key supporter of Moscow in its confrontation with the West and is Russia’s largest trading partner.
Putin is scheduled to visit China in September for events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
Putin also briefed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who posted on X that he had a “very good and detailed conversation” with the Russian leader and thanked him for sharing “the latest developments on Ukraine.”
Trump this week announced an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods to penalise New Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil.
On Thursday, August 7, 2025, Putin spoke with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who reiterated his country’s “full support to peace initiatives that will end the war and contribute to a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
The Russian president also met in Moscow with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, who has been floated as a potential host for the proposed Russia–US summit.
Russia, China, India, South Africa and the UAE are members of the BRICS group, which Moscow promotes as a counterweight to US political and economic influence.
Putin on Friday also discussed the outcome of Witkoff’s visit with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
