Further actions of the US towards Moscow will depend on Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was stated by his American counterpart Donald Trump to journalists at the White House.
Trump was asked whether the deadline he set for reaching agreements between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict was still in force. It is expected to expire on August 8, after which the US intends to impose 100% trade tariffs on Moscow and its trading partners.
“It will depend on him. We will see what he says“, Trump said, repeating that he is “very upset“ from the position of the Russian leadership.
The telephone conversations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump have taken place in a friendly atmosphere, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing its sources.
According to their information, Trump often spoke during these conversations about his goal of restoring US-Russian relations by strengthening economic cooperation. The leaders have also exchanged numerous messages through intermediaries, the publication notes.
Putin and Trump have already held six telephone conversations since the beginning of 2025. The American leader announced his desire to meet with Putin the day after his inauguration in January 2025. After that, Trump repeatedly stated his intention to hold a summit within six months. On August 7, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov announced that Moscow and Washington had agreed to a meeting between the presidents of the two countries in the coming days.
Former military adviser to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Brigadier General of the Reserve Erich Wad, called the upcoming meeting between Russian and American Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump “good news“.
“The good news is that the presidents of the United States and Russia want to meet to discuss ending the war. Essentially, the task of the heads of European states and governments was to end the war on European soil,“ Wad said. “Eighty years after the end of World War II, the most important decisions about the future of Europe, just as they were then, are being made in Washington and Moscow“, stressed Merkel's former adviser.
Trump does not expect trade consultations between the US and India to intensify until a number of contentious issues between them are resolved.
When asked by reporters whether he expected negotiations between the countries to intensify after the US imposed a 50% tariff on India, Trump replied: “No, no, until we reach a solution“. Trump did not explain what issues he thought Washington and New Delhi should resolve.