Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of calls on Friday with leaders of China, India, and several allied states to update them on his recent contacts with the United States regarding the war in Ukraine.
The diplomatic outreach followed Putin’s meeting in Moscow on Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, which the Kremlin said could pave the way for a summit between Putin and Trump as early as next week. No venue, date, or final agenda have been confirmed.
Trump, seeking to end the 3½-year conflict, has given Moscow a deadline expiring Friday to agree to peace terms or face new sanctions targeting Russia and its major trading partners. China and India, the largest buyers of Russian oil, are under particular scrutiny, with Trump imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods this week over New Delhi’s continued energy imports from Moscow.
In a phone call, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Putin that Beijing welcomed closer U.S.-Russia dialogue and supported efforts toward a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Putin is scheduled to visit China in September for events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a “very good and detailed” conversation with Putin and thanked him for sharing “the latest developments on Ukraine.”
Putin also discussed peace efforts with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who reiterated Pretoria’s “full support” for initiatives leading to a lasting settlement. On Thursday, Putin hosted UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow, noting that the UAE could serve as a possible venue for the U.S.-Russia summit.
Russia, China, India, South Africa, and the UAE are all members of the BRICS bloc, which Moscow promotes as a counterweight to Western influence.
Putin also briefed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and other regional allies on his talks with Washington, underscoring the Kremlin’s bid to coordinate positions ahead of the anticipated high-level meeting with Trump.
Written By Rodney Mbua
