based on materials from the site - By Cryptopolitan_News

Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are preparing for their first meeting since Trump's return to the White House in January of this year, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow on Thursday.

This statement came at a time when Washington and Moscow are approaching what Trump calls a possible 'breakthrough' in ending the war in Ukraine.

Ushakov stated that the agreement for the summit was reached 'at the suggestion of the American side' and that both governments have begun 'specific preparations.' The venue has already been chosen but will be announced later.

This news came just a day after Trump's special representative, real estate expert Steve Witkoff, met with Putin. The meeting was not symbolic. It was aimed at trying to find a way out of the deadlock in Ukraine.

Trump, who has both publicly praised and criticized Putin, warned that new U.S. sanctions would hit Russia and any country buying its exports if peace negotiations fail.

The visit to the UAE contributes to deepening negotiations with Russia.
While preparations for the summit were in full swing, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan flew to Moscow for a separate meeting with Putin.

This visit, his second to Russia in less than a year, fueled speculation that the UAE could host the upcoming meeting between Putin and Trump. The UAE state news agency WAM reported that bin Zayed's trip aimed to strengthen 'strategic partnership' and expand cooperation in energy, trade, investment, and regional politics.

Trade between the two countries surged sharply after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Russian Ministry of Trade stated in February that trade turnover with the UAE increased by 68% in 2022, reaching $9 billion. On Thursday, bin Zayed informed Putin that this figure has already reached $11.5 billion.

'We would like this figure to double both at the bilateral level and with Eurasian countries over the next five years,' he stated during the meeting, according to the Russian news agency TASS. He also noted that relations between the two countries are developing 'at an accelerated pace.'

Putin and bin Zayed have frequently met since the signing of the strategic partnership agreement in 2018. And while most Western countries have either imposed sanctions on Russia or isolated it, the UAE has maintained neutrality. They did not join any sanctions but welcomed Russian oligarchs, expatriates, and businesses. Currently, about 4,000 Russian companies operate in the Emirates.

U.S. officials are monitoring the development of the UAE's ties with Russia.
These relations have attracted close attention from Washington. In 2023, the Biden administration labeled the UAE a 'country of particular concern' regarding its assistance to Moscow in circumventing American sanctions. The U.S. Department of the Treasury stated that in the second half of 2022, companies from the UAE shipped U.S.-controlled goods worth over $5 million to Russia, including semiconductors that could be used in combat systems in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Abu Dhabi has not taken sides. It has called for a ceasefire without supporting either Russia or Ukraine. This neutrality has made it a critically important factor for global trade and Russia's financial survival, especially amid the collapse of European routes due to sanctions.

After his meeting with Witkoff, Kremlin-friendly military blogger Yuri Podolyaka wrote that Putin conducted a 'masterful diplomatic game,' claiming that the Russian leader managed to draw Trump into 'negotiation carousel.' Podolyaka's Telegram channel has over 3 million subscribers.

In Washington, Trump is not focusing solely on Russia. On Wednesday, he announced new 25% tariffs on Indian goods that will come into effect on August 28, in response to ongoing oil trade between New Delhi and Moscow. Trump also stated that similar tariffs may soon hit China, another major buyer of Russian oil.

Ushakov emphasized: this meeting could actually open a new phase in U.S.-Russia relations. He stated that both sides believe that relations 'can be built according to a completely different, mutually beneficial scenario' than the one that has defined the last several years.

Whether this will actually happen depends on what is decided when Trump and Putin finally sit across from each other again — not in theory, but in a room, face to face.

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