Meeting of advisers on Putin-Witkoff conversation scheduled for August 7 – source

On August 7, advisors to Ukraine and its partners are to meet to coordinate positions after the meeting of the US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff with a dictator Vladimir Putin, said LIGA.net an interlocutor in Ukrainian diplomatic circles.

Previously, such a meeting of security advisors announced president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his evening address. There is no official position of national security advisor in Ukraine, but these functions are usually performed by head of the Office of the president Andriy Yermak.

Regarding the call between Zelenskyy and the US president that took place after the special envoy's visit to Moscow, the source LIGA.net noted: "It was a conversation primarily between Trump and Zelenskyy, with other European leaders taking part. Witkoff was also present."

The interviewee also confirmed that various options for possible meetings were mentioned during the conversation, but did not disclose details.

The American newspaper The New York Times, citing its sources, stated that during this call, Trump announced a plan to meet with Putin next week and then hold a trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy without European partners.

Later, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said that it was the Russian dictator who, in communication with Witkoff, proposed a meeting with Trump.

The official noted that the US leader is "open to meeting with both president Putin and president Zelenskyy" and "wants this brutal war to end."

Meanwhile, secretary of state Marco Rubio said that Trump would decide on secondary restrictions on Russia within 24-36 hours. At the same time, the moment has not yet come when the US president must decide on new sanctions against Moscow, reported Reuters citing the official's words on Fox Business.

• Zelenskyy, after speaking with Trump and European leaders, said that, it seems that Russia is now more committed to a ceasefire. The US president said that during the conversation between Witkoff and Putin "great progress was made".
• Amid the meeting between Putin and Witkoff, Trump signed an executive order imposing penalties on India for purchasing Russian oil: the United States imposes a 25% duty on all goods from this country in addition to existing tariffs and fees, the decision takes effect in 21 days. The White House told Reuters that this tariff will be combined with the previous one and India will pay a 50% duty in total.
• In response, India criticized these additional duties and promised to protect its interests.