US President Donald Trump said he would meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin very soon. The Republican hinted that a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev could include an exchange of territories controlled by the two countries, AFP reported.

On August 8, Putin held consultations with the leaders of China and India to seek support ahead of the summit with Trump, who spent his first months in office trying to mediate peace in Ukraine without achieving a breakthrough.

"I will meet with President Putin soon. It would have been earlier, but I guess there are security measures that unfortunately people have to take," the US president said.

He also said that "there will be an exchange of territories for the benefit of both sides" — Ukraine and Russia — and that the issue would be discussed soon, without giving further details.

The Kremlin said Putin had informed Chinese President Xi Jinping of the "main results of his conversation" with US Special Envoy Steve Whitcoff, who visited Moscow on August 6.

Xi expressed support for a "long-term" solution to the conflict, the Kremlin said. 

China's state news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying to Putin: "China is pleased to see that Russia and the US are maintaining contact, improving relations, and promoting a political resolution to the crisis in Ukraine."

Putin also spoke on the phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the two countries condemned the new US tariffs on oil purchases from Russia by New Delhi.

"I had a very good and detailed conversation with my friend President Putin. I thanked him for sharing the latest developments in Ukraine," Modi wrote on social media.

On August 8, the Russian state agency TASS reported that a meeting between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could take place as early as the end of next week. | BGNES