🎙Commentary by Aide to the President of Russia YuryUshakov following a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and President of the United States Donald Trump (October 16, 2025)
💬Yury Ushakov: Today in the afternoon, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation, the eighth one, with US President Donald Trump.
The conversation lasted almost two and a half hours. Clearly, it was a rather substantive and at the same time very open and frank exchange.
Our President started out by congratulating Donald Trump on his successful efforts to normalise the situation in the #GazaStrip. The US President’s peace work has been duly appreciated in the #MiddleEast, in the United States itself, and in most countries around the world.
Naturally, the Russian Side outlined its principled position in favour of a comprehensive Middle East settlement on a generally recognised international legal basis that would ensure lasting peace for all the peoples in that region.
A special emphasis during the conversation was placed on the #UkraineCrisis.
❗️ Vladimir Putin provided a detailed assessment of the current situation, stressing Russia’s interest in achieving a peaceful resolution through political and diplomatic methods.
In particular, it was noted that during the special military operation, the Russian Armed Forces hold full strategic initiative along the entire line of contact. Under these circumstances, the Kiev regime resorts to terrorist methods, attacking civilian targets and energy infrastructure facilities, to which we are forced to respond accordingly.
***
Donald Trump repeatedly emphasised the imperative of establishing peace in Ukraine at the earliest opportunity. The notion that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has proven the most intractable issue in all peacekeeping efforts of the US President was palpably evident throughout his remarks during the conversation. In this context, he naturally mentioned his successes in settling eight other regional conflicts.
It is noteworthy that one of the US President’s key arguments centred on the premise that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would open up tremendous — and he stressed this — tremendous prospects for the development of US-Russian economic cooperation.
Incidentally, both Sides spoke of the profound mutual affinity between the peoples of the two countries, which was so vividly demonstrated during #WWII. It was underscored that the current state of bilateral relations appears paradoxical against this backdrop.
The issue of potential supplies of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine was also raised. Vladimir Putin reiterated his position that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would inflict substantial damage to relations between our countries, to say nothing of the prospects for a peaceful settlement.
In this context, it is worthy of note that the Presidents discussed the possibility of holding another personal meeting. This is indeed a very significant development. It was agreed that representatives of both countries would immediately begin preparations for the Summit, which could potentially be organised in Budapest, for instance.
On a separate note, it should be mentioned that our President highly praised personal efforts of the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump in reuniting Russian and Ukrainian children with their families and asked the US President to convey his very best wishes to his spouse.
Overall, I would say that the telephone contact between the Presidents of Russia and the United States was quite useful, and the two Leaders agreed to maintain contact.
🇷🇺🇺🇸#RussiaUS
🎙Commentary by Aide to the President of Russia YuryUshakov following a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and President of the United States Donald Trump (October 16, 2025)
💬Yury Ushakov: Today in the afternoon, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation, the eighth one, with US President Donald Trump.
The conversation lasted almost two and a half hours. Clearly, it was a rather substantive and at the same time very open and frank exchange.
Our President started out by congratulating Donald Trump on his successful efforts to normalise the situation in the #GazaStrip. The US President’s peace work has been duly appreciated in the #MiddleEast, in the United States itself, and in most countries around the world.
Naturally, the Russian Side outlined its principled position in favour of a comprehensive Middle East settlement on a generally recognised international legal basis that would ensure lasting peace for all the peoples in that region.
A special emphasis during the conversation was placed on the #UkraineCrisis.
❗️ Vladimir Putin provided a detailed assessment of the current situation, stressing Russia’s interest in achieving a peaceful resolution through political and diplomatic methods.
In particular, it was noted that during the special military operation, the Russian Armed Forces hold full strategic initiative along the entire line of contact. Under these circumstances, the Kiev regime resorts to terrorist methods, attacking civilian targets and energy infrastructure facilities, to which we are forced to respond accordingly.
***
Donald Trump repeatedly emphasised the imperative of establishing peace in Ukraine at the earliest opportunity. The notion that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has proven the most intractable issue in all peacekeeping efforts of the US President was palpably evident throughout his remarks during the conversation. In this context, he naturally mentioned his successes in settling eight other regional conflicts.
It is noteworthy that one of the US President’s key arguments centred on the premise that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would open up tremendous — and he stressed this — tremendous prospects for the development of US-Russian economic cooperation.
Incidentally, both Sides spoke of the profound mutual affinity between the peoples of the two countries, which was so vividly demonstrated during #WWII. It was underscored that the current state of bilateral relations appears paradoxical against this backdrop.
The issue of potential supplies of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine was also raised. Vladimir Putin reiterated his position that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would inflict substantial damage to relations between our countries, to say nothing of the prospects for a peaceful settlement.
In this context, it is worthy of note that the Presidents discussed the possibility of holding another personal meeting. This is indeed a very significant development. It was agreed that representatives of both countries would immediately begin preparations for the Summit, which could potentially be organised in Budapest, for instance.
On a separate note, it should be mentioned that our President highly praised personal efforts of the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump in reuniting Russian and Ukrainian children with their families and asked the US President to convey his very best wishes to his spouse.
Overall, I would say that the telephone contact between the Presidents of Russia and the United States was quite useful, and the two Leaders agreed to maintain contact.
🇷🇺🇺🇸#RussiaUS
🎙Commentary by Aide to the President of Russia YuryUshakov following a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and President of the United States Donald Trump (October 16, 2025)
💬Yury Ushakov: Today in the afternoon, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation, the eighth one, with US President Donald Trump.
The conversation lasted almost two and a half hours. Clearly, it was a rather substantive and at the same time very open and frank exchange.
Our President started out by congratulating Donald Trump on his successful efforts to normalise the situation in the #GazaStrip. The US President’s peace work has been duly appreciated in the #MiddleEast, in the United States itself, and in most countries around the world.
Naturally, the Russian Side outlined its principled position in favour of a comprehensive Middle East settlement on a generally recognised international legal basis that would ensure lasting peace for all the peoples in that region.
A special emphasis during the conversation was placed on the #UkraineCrisis.
❗️ Vladimir Putin provided a detailed assessment of the current situation, stressing Russia’s interest in achieving a peaceful resolution through political and diplomatic methods.
In particular, it was noted that during the special military operation, the Russian Armed Forces hold full strategic initiative along the entire line of contact. Under these circumstances, the Kiev regime resorts to terrorist methods, attacking civilian targets and energy infrastructure facilities, to which we are forced to respond accordingly.
***
Donald Trump repeatedly emphasised the imperative of establishing peace in Ukraine at the earliest opportunity. The notion that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has proven the most intractable issue in all peacekeeping efforts of the US President was palpably evident throughout his remarks during the conversation. In this context, he naturally mentioned his successes in settling eight other regional conflicts.
It is noteworthy that one of the US President’s key arguments centred on the premise that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would open up tremendous — and he stressed this — tremendous prospects for the development of US-Russian economic cooperation.
Incidentally, both Sides spoke of the profound mutual affinity between the peoples of the two countries, which was so vividly demonstrated during #WWII. It was underscored that the current state of bilateral relations appears paradoxical against this backdrop.
The issue of potential supplies of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine was also raised. Vladimir Putin reiterated his position that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would inflict substantial damage to relations between our countries, to say nothing of the prospects for a peaceful settlement.
In this context, it is worthy of note that the Presidents discussed the possibility of holding another personal meeting. This is indeed a very significant development. It was agreed that representatives of both countries would immediately begin preparations for the Summit, which could potentially be organised in Budapest, for instance.
On a separate note, it should be mentioned that our President highly praised personal efforts of the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump in reuniting Russian and Ukrainian children with their families and asked the US President to convey his very best wishes to his spouse.
Overall, I would say that the telephone contact between the Presidents of Russia and the United States was quite useful, and the two Leaders agreed to maintain contact.
🇷🇺🇺🇸#RussiaUS
▪️September 1st marks 8️⃣6️⃣ years since World War II began — the bloodiest conflict in the history of mankind.
61 states, with over 80 percent of the world’s population, were drawn into that ordeal unleashed by the 'Axis' powers; hostilities spread to 40 countries.
#WWII claimed many dozens of millions of peoples' lives (by some estimates, 80+ mln perished), including ~27 million citizens of the Soviet Union.
***
As for the background of the greatest tragedy of the XX century, the entire range of contradictions that provoked WWII stemmed from World War I and can be traced back to the Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919. The system of international relations in Europe, framed by the UK and France,made the basis for the rise of revanchist sentiments in the defeated and humiliated parties to the Treaty of Versailles — Germany and Italy.
The League of Nations, the organization established to settle international disputes within the legal framework, technically became a tool for the Western powers to achieve their political goals.
Not surprising that in Europe, torn by contradictions, fascism rapidly gained popularity. Politicians and extreme right-wing ideologues, who were convinced of the superiority of their nation and ethnicities, came to power first in Italy (1922) and then in Germany (1933).
With the establishmentof the Nazi dictatorship in Germany, the threat of a new war in Europe became a reality. At the core of Hitler’s misanthropic ideology lay the infamous doctrine of "racial superiority" — according to Hitler’s interpretation, Germans belonged to a chosen Aryan master race, destined to rule the world. Thus, in the heart of Europe, an absolute evil emerged, posing a threat to the peace and freedom of entire nations and peoples.
By the mid-1930s, it became evident that renewed German aggression in Europe was just a matter of time.
☝️ In an attempt to contain the emerging threat of German revanchism, the Soviet Union proposed the initiative to establish collective security system based on anti-fascist principles.
However, Paris and London, where anti-Soviet sentiment was deeply entrenched, rejected the idea of cooperating with Moscow against Hitler. Instead, France and UK sought to strike a deal with Germany. In the West. the elites failed to understand the danger and threat that Nazi ideology posed to the entire world, cynically believing that Hitler's aggression could be redirected eastward in a manner typical to the Brits.
❗️ The Western countries pursued the so-called 'policy of appeasement', which eventually resulted in the infamous Munich Betrayal of 1938 — with the tacit consent by the UK and France, Hitler ruthlessly annexed the sovereign state of Czechoslovakia.
It was only Moscow that was willing to provide military assistance to the Czechoslovakians, but was unable to do so due to Poland that was playing along with Hitler and taking advantage of Czechoslovakia’s annexation by occupying Cieszyn region.
A year later, a similar drama played out in the Far East: the Anglo-Japanese treaty was signed in June 1939, untying Tokyo’s hands in China. TheSoviet Union could have become the next victim of militarist Japan. The Japanese command had been planning a possible attack against our country.
Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 was a direct consequence of the policy of intrigues and anti-Soviet manuevers pursued by the West, which did not allow to create an anti-Hitler coalition to jointly resist the Third Reich.
🌟Defeating the most aggressive reactionary forces was the most important outcome of theGreat Victory of May 9, 1945, which crushed the inhumane ideologies of Nazism, Fascism, and Japanese militarism, along with their adepts.
Thanks to the joint effort of the USSR, the selflessness of Soviet soldiersliberators, and the self-dedication of home front workers, entire countries and millions of people around the world were, in fact, rescued from extermination, perishing in Nazi concentration camps, or from being turned into slaves.
🎙Address by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to participants of the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues(May 28, 2025)
💬 Vladimir Putin: I am pleased to welcome you to Moscow for the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues.
Over the past nearly fifteen years, your Forum has convincingly affirmed its significant status and authority. I know that in these days, participants of the Meeting — representatives of delegations from many states — can expect a substantial programme, with the main discussion dedicated to the prospects of establishing a new global security architecture.
☝️ As for Russia, our approaches remain principled and unchanged. I have said it before and will reiterate: we are convinced that the new security architecture must be equal and indivisible — that is, all states must receive firm guarantees of their own security, but not at the expense of the security and interests of other countries.
It is vital to make our continent a space of peace and stability, an example of sustainable economic, social, and cultural development. We believe that the foundation for creating such a universal security system could be the existing and well-established multilateral cooperation formats, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and others.
Your current meeting is widely attended by states of the Global South and East. It is they, in essence, who form the global majority, seek to influence regional and international processes more actively, and uphold the principle of sovereign equality and the right to their own development model.
Undoubtedly, in building joint efforts, it is necessary to rely on positive historical experience, on the lessons of the past. This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the end of #WWII, which fundamentally influenced the development of the international community.
The experience of uniting states in the fight against evil, against Nazism and militarism, the understanding of the colossal price humanity paid for peace and freedom, for the right of peoples to choose their own path of development, laid the foundations of the post-war world order and led to the creation of the UN — a universal, legitimate organisation based on the principles of international law, which has helped overcome many geopolitical challenges.
Today, it is especially important to preserve the truth about the events of those years, to counter attempts to rewrite history, to cast doubt on the decisive contribution of the peoples of the Soviet Union to the Victory over Hitler’s Germany, and to glorify Nazi criminals and their accomplices.
Just recently, on May 9, we solemnly marked the Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The celebrations in Moscow became yet another symbol of unity around the ideals of the Great Victory, demonstrating once again the commitment of our friends and partners to shaping a safer world, to constructive cooperation, and to jointly addressing global challenges.
I am convinced that this latest meeting of high representatives overseeing security issues will contribute to the development of new important approaches to strengthening international peace and stability and will help advance dialogue for the benefit of all countries and peoples.
I wish you success.
🇷🇺🇺🇸📞 Presidents of Russia & the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke over the phone (March 18, 2025)
The Leaders continued their detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation surrounding Ukraine. Vladimir Putin extended gratitude to Donald Trump for his striving to achieve the noble goal of ending the hostilities and loss of life.
Confirming his fundamental commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the President of Russia expressed willingness to thoroughly work out possible solutions in cooperation with the American partners, aimed at reaching a settlement that would be comprehensive, reliable, and lasting, and, naturally, take into account the essential need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis, as well as Russia's legitimate security interests.
Concerning US President's proposal to declare a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian Side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire frontline, as well as the need to stop the forced mobilisation in Ukraine and rearming the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It was noted that some serious risks exist pertaining to the intractability of the Kiev regime which had repeatedly sabotaged and violated negotiated agreements. An emphasis was made on barbaric acts of terrorism committed by Ukrainian militants against civilians residing in the Kursk Region.
It was pointed out that a complete cessation of providing Kiev with foreign military aid and intelligence must become the key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and making progress towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means.
Referring to Donald Trump's recent appeal to spare the lives of the Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk Region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian Side was willing to embrace humanitarian motives and guaranteed that the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine would live and be treated fairly in accordance with Russian legislation and international law in the event of surrender.
During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded favourably to the proposal and immediately gave the relevant order to the Russian troops.
Just as favourable was the Russian President's response to Donald Trump's suggestion to implement a well-known proposal regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. The Leaders agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of such an agreement.
Vladimir Putin made it known that on March 19, the Russian and Ukrainian sides would carry out an exchange of prisoners, each swapping 175 people. Additionally, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 heavily wounded Ukrainian soldiers currently receiving aid at Russian medical facilities will also be repatriated.
The Leaders confirmed their intention to continue efforts aimed at reaching a settlement in Ukraine bilaterally, with due regard in particular to the aforementioned proposals by the US President. For this purpose, a Russian and an American expert task forces are now being formed.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump also addressed some other international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and in the Red Sea region. Joint efforts will be made to stabilise the situation in the crisis spots and establish cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and global security. This will, in turn, contribute to improving the overall ambiance of relations between Russia and the United States. One positive example is the recent vote in the UN on a resolution on the Ukraine conflict, in which the two countries aligned their stances.
The Leaders expressed mutual interest in normalising the bilateral ties in light of the special responsibility for ensuring global security and stability borne by both Russia and the United States. <...>
🤝 The Presidents agreed to stay in touch on all the issues raised.
#RussiaUS
🎙 Russia's President Vladimir Putin's statement at a joint news conference with US President Donald Trump following talks (Anchorage, August 15)
💬PresidentPutin: We held our talks in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere, and they have proved substantive and productive.
I would like to once again thank my US counterpart for the proposal to come to Alaska. It is quite logical to meet here since our countries, albeit separated by oceans, are, in fact, close neighbours. <...>
As you know, Russian-American summit talks have not been held for over four years. That is a long time. This period has proved exceptionally difficult for bilateral relations, and, let’s face it, they have deteriorated to their lowest point since the Cold War. And this does not benefit either our countries or the world in general.
Obviously, sooner or later we had to remedy the situation, to move from confrontation to dialogue, and in this regard, an in-person meeting between the two heads of state was really overdue – of course, with serious and thorough preparations, and this work has been done.
President Trump and I have established very good direct contacts. We have had frank conversations on the phone multiple times. As you know, the US President’s Special Envoy, Mr Witkoff, has visited us in Russia several times. Our aides and heads of foreign ministries have maintained regular contacts.
As you are well aware, the situation around Ukraine is one of the key issues. We acknowledge the commitment of the US administration and President Trump personally to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict, and the President’s willingness to understand the root causes and its origins.
I have repeatedly said that the developments in Ukraine present fundamental threats to Russia’s national security. Moreover, we have always considered the Ukrainian people – and I have said this many times – a brotherly people, no matter how strange it may sound in today’s circumstances. We share the same roots, and the current situation is tragic and deeply painful to us. Therefore, our country is sincerely interested in ending this.
Yet, we are convinced that, for the conflict resolution in Ukraine to be long-term and lasting, all the root causes of the crisis, which have been repeatedly explained, must be eliminated; all of Russia’s legitimate concerns must be taken into account, and a fair security balance must be restored in Europe and the rest of the world. <...>
Hopefully, the understanding we have reached will bring us closer to this goal and open up the road to peace in Ukraine. <...>
Today, we hear President Trump saying: “If I had been president, there would have been no war.” I believe it would have been so. I confirm this because President Trump and I have established a generally very good, businesslike and trustworthy contact. And I have every reason to believe that, as we move along this path, we can reach – and the sooner the better – the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
Read in full
#RussiaUS
⚡️Comment by Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov on the upcoming meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump
💬 Preparations for the meeting between the Presidents of Russia and the United States have entered their final stage. Given that the meeting was announced just five days ago, all arrangements are being made under intense pressure. Numerous technical matters, including visa issues, are being resolved. Naturally, the primary focus remains the active development of the political components of the Summit.
I can confirm that the Programme for the Leaders’ meeting has been agreed upon. As you are all well aware, this meeting will take place in Alaska, specifically in Anchorage, with one of the facilities at the Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Military Base serving as the venue.
The proceedings are scheduled to begin tomorrow, August 15, at approximately 11:30 local time with a conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. This discussion will be held in a tête-à-tête format, with interpreters involved. Following this, the negotiations will continue in a delegation format, followed by a working breakfast.
🇷🇺 The list of participants has already been finalised. Given that highly sensitive and critical topics will be discussed, the negotiating Parties have been limited to a select group. On the Russian Side, the delegation will include: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Aide to the President for Foreign Policy Yury Ushakov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries Kirill Dmitriev. <...>
Upon concluding the negotiations, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will hold a joint news conference to summarise the outcomes of the discussions. Regarding the Summit’s agenda, it is evident to all that the central topic will be the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, including considerations from the discussions held in the Kremlin on August 6 — as you may recall — with the participation of the US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
However, broader issues related to ensuring peace and security, as well as pressing international and regional matters, will also be addressed. An exchange of views on the further development of bilateral cooperation — particularly in the trade and economic spheres — is also expected. It is worth noting that this cooperation holds immense, yet regrettably underutilised, potential.
One additional point of significance: near the military base where negotiations will take place, a memorial cemetery holds the remains of nine Soviet pilots, two military personnel, and two civilians who perished between 1942 and 1945 while ferrying aircraft from the United States to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease programme. Thus, the meeting will unfold near a site of profound historical importance — one that underscores the wartime brotherhood-in-arms between our nations. This symbolism is particularly resonant in this year, the year of the 80th Anniversary of Victory over Nazi Germany and Militarist Japan.
Colleagues, that is, broadly speaking, what I wished to convey regarding the visit, which — as I mentioned — will commence tomorrow morning local time.
#RussiaUS
⚡️Comment by the Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov on Vladimir Putin’s meeting with US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff(August 7, 2025)
💬Yury Ushakov: This meeting took place in a business-like atmosphere and was quite constructive. Both Sides can be satisfied with the outcomes of this conversation. The discussion focused on matters dealing with future efforts to work together in the context of resolving the Ukraine crisis.
🇷🇺🇺🇸 Once again, it was noted that Russia-US relations could be placed on a totally different, mutually beneficial footing, which would be in stark contrast with the way these relations have evolved in recent years.
❗️ Regarding the Ukraine agenda, at the proposal of the United States, there was a principled agreement to hold a top-level bilateral meeting in the coming days, which means a meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Together with our American colleagues, we are about to start working on the specific parameters of this meeting and its venue. The venue has also been coordinated, and we will communicate on this point a little later.
As for the option of holding a trilateral meeting, which for some reason became a subject of speculation yesterday in Washington, the US representative simply mentioned it during the meeting at the Kremlin. However, there was no specific discussion on this topic. Russia has not commented on this option in any way. Our suggestion primarily focuses on preparing for a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump.
What matters most is that the meeting proves successful and produces tangible results.
It is already well known that Donald Trump spoke to several of his European partners on the phone to discuss these issues after Steve Witkoff reported back to him. It is worth noting in this regard that we have also been updating our close partners and friends through the relevant communication channels to inform them on the topics discussed during the meeting with Steve Witkoff.
Next week was suggested as a possible timeframe [for holding the meeting], but since the effort to prepare for this important event is only just beginning for both Parties, it is hard to say how long the preparations will take.
That said, the option of holding this meeting sometime next week was on the table, and we hold quite a positive view in this regard.
#RussiaUS
⚡️Comment by Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov on the upcoming meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump
💬 Preparations for the meeting between the Presidents of Russia and the United States have entered their final stage. Given that the meeting was announced just five days ago, all arrangements are being made under intense pressure. Numerous technical matters, including visa issues, are being resolved. Naturally, the primary focus remains the active development of the political components of the Summit.
I can confirm that the Programme for the Leaders’ meeting has been agreed upon. As you are all well aware, this meeting will take place in Alaska, specifically in Anchorage, with one of the facilities at the Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Military Base serving as the venue.
The proceedings are scheduled to begin tomorrow, August 15, at approximately 11:30 local time with a conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. This discussion will be held in a tête-à-tête format, with interpreters involved. Following this, the negotiations will continue in a delegation format, followed by a working breakfast.
🇷🇺 The list of participants has already been finalised. Given that highly sensitive and critical topics will be discussed, the negotiating Parties have been limited to a select group. On the Russian Side, the delegation will include: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Aide to the President for Foreign Policy Yury Ushakov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries Kirill Dmitriev. <...>
Upon concluding the negotiations, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will hold a joint news conference to summarise the outcomes of the discussions. Regarding the Summit’s agenda, it is evident to all that the central topic will be the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, including considerations from the discussions held in the Kremlin on August 6 — as you may recall — with the participation of the US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
However, broader issues related to ensuring peace and security, as well as pressing international and regional matters, will also be addressed. An exchange of views on the further development of bilateral cooperation — particularly in the trade and economic spheres — is also expected. It is worth noting that this cooperation holds immense, yet regrettably underutilised, potential.
One additional point of significance: near the military base where negotiations will take place, a memorial cemetery holds the remains of nine Soviet pilots, two military personnel, and two civilians who perished between 1942 and 1945 while ferrying aircraft from the United States to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease programme. Thus, the meeting will unfold near a site of profound historical importance — one that underscores the wartime brotherhood-in-arms between our nations. This symbolism is particularly resonant in this year, the year of the 80th Anniversary of Victory over Nazi Germany and Militarist Japan.
Colleagues, that is, broadly speaking, what I wished to convey regarding the visit, which — as I mentioned — will commence tomorrow morning local time.
#RussiaUS
⚡️Comment by the Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov on Vladimir Putin’s meeting with US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff(August 7, 2025)
💬Yury Ushakov: This meeting took place in a business-like atmosphere and was quite constructive. Both Sides can be satisfied with the outcomes of this conversation. The discussion focused on matters dealing with future efforts to work together in the context of resolving the Ukraine crisis.
🇷🇺🇺🇸 Once again, it was noted that Russia-US relations could be placed on a totally different, mutually beneficial footing, which would be in stark contrast with the way these relations have evolved in recent years.
❗️ Regarding the Ukraine agenda, at the proposal of the United States, there was a principled agreement to hold a top-level bilateral meeting in the coming days, which means a meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Together with our American colleagues, we are about to start working on the specific parameters of this meeting and its venue. The venue has also been coordinated, and we will communicate on this point a little later.
As for the option of holding a trilateral meeting, which for some reason became a subject of speculation yesterday in Washington, the US representative simply mentioned it during the meeting at the Kremlin. However, there was no specific discussion on this topic. Russia has not commented on this option in any way. Our suggestion primarily focuses on preparing for a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump.
What matters most is that the meeting proves successful and produces tangible results.
It is already well known that Donald Trump spoke to several of his European partners on the phone to discuss these issues after Steve Witkoff reported back to him. It is worth noting in this regard that we have also been updating our close partners and friends through the relevant communication channels to inform them on the topics discussed during the meeting with Steve Witkoff.
Next week was suggested as a possible timeframe [for holding the meeting], but since the effort to prepare for this important event is only just beginning for both Parties, it is hard to say how long the preparations will take.
That said, the option of holding this meeting sometime next week was on the table, and we hold quite a positive view in this regard.
#RussiaUS