Putin holds calls with key allies Xi, Lukashenko ahead of Trump summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko on Aug. 8, days before his expected meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian state media reported.
Both Xi and Lukashenko are among Putin's closest international allies. The calls come as the U.S. president prepares to meet with Putin next week in what would be the first direct talks between the two since Trump took office on Jan. 20.
According to China's pro-government outlet CCTV, Putin briefed Xi on recent contacts with the U.S. The Chinese president reportedly welcomed dialogue between Washington and Moscow and reiterated Beijing's support for efforts to resolve the war.
The Russian president also updated Lukashenko, one of his closest allies, on "negotiations and agreements" with the U.S., Belarusian state outlet Belta reported.
Putin also held talks on Aug. 8 with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to the Kremlin.
The Russian president briefed the two on his meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. They also discussed cooperation in trade and energy affairs.
Separately, Putin also held a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"I thanked him for sharing the latest developments on Ukraine," Modi wrote on X without providing further details.
Putin's meeting with Trump comes amid growing U.S. pressure aimed at cutting off Russia's war funding. Oil revenues make up roughly one-third of Russia's federal budget, and Washington is targeting those flows through secondary tariffs.
The U.S. president issued an ultimatum to Moscow on July 28, demanding a ceasefire within 10 days or face severe U.S. sanctions. As the Aug. 8 deadline approached, Trump signaled impatience and said the decision now "depends on Putin."
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the U.S. does not view the upcoming summit as a matter of trusting Russia, but rather as a demand for "concrete results."
China has supported the Kremlin through trade and dual-use technology. The U.S. has warned that continued oil purchases could trigger tariffs of up to 100% on Chinese exports.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, allowed Russian forces to launch attacks on Ukraine from Belarusian territory at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
