Putin-Trump summit may be "historic", says senior Russian official

A forthcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump may become a defining moment in international relations, a senior Russian official has suggested.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Kremlin’s special representative for economic cooperation with foreign countries, commented on the anticipated summit, Caliber.Az reports.

“Russia confirms Putin-Trump summit may happen next week, and summit preparations are ongoing. This can be a historic meeting. Dialogue will prevail,” Dmitriev said.

In recent statements, President Donald Trump expressed deep disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s persistent aggression in Ukraine and dramatically accelerated his diplomatic timeline.

After originally setting a 50-day ultimatum for Moscow to accept a ceasefire or face "very significant" secondary sanctions, Trump shortened it to just 10–12 days, aiming for a resolution by approximately August 7–9.

He warned that failure to comply would trigger punitive measures not only against Russia but also tariffs and sanctions targeting its energy buyers, such as India and China.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Moscow just days before the deadline, engaging Putin in talks described as “productive,” though the Kremlin offered only a limited moratorium on airstrikes rather than a full ceasefire.

Debate continues over whether these diplomatic actions reflect movement toward peace or bipartisan pressure to delay further sanctions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev