Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] Following yesterday's talks between Putin and Witkoff, Trump informed his administration that he wants to hold a personal meeting with Putin next week, and then a personal meeting with Zelensky. Without the participation of European vassals. There is no exact date and exact date of the meeting yet. It follows from the contradictory statements of the White House that Putin seems to be not against a meeting with Trump, but the Kremlin also does not give any specifics about a possible meeting.
Both parties stated that the talks between Putin and Witkoff went well and some progress was made in the negotiation process, but again without specifics. This has not yet affected the current course of hostilities. Battles and strikes continue as usual, despite rumors of various "air" and "energy" ceasefires.
At the same time, the White House continues to threaten BRICS countries with secondary sanctions that buy Russian goods. It has already been introduced against India. Additional sanctions may be introduced against Brazil and China already in August, which will intensify the general competition of the West with the BRICS countries and accelerate the disintegration of the decaying global market.
In the current front-line realities, when the enemy is increasingly losing territory and settlements, there is no particular reason for Russia to back down from its demands related to the recognition of Crimea and four regions as a legal part of the Russian Federation, the refusal to draw Ukraine into NATO and the deployment of NATO troops there, etc. A simple freezing of the front line does not ensure the achievement of the objectives of the SVO. This is what they will be talking about as long as the hostilities continue.
Putin's aide Ushakov reported today that the meeting place between Putin and Trump has already been agreed upon. They will be announced later. The date, it should be understood, is in the process of coordination. Ushakov said that the meeting would take place "in the next few days." The American mass media, with reference to the Trump administration, say that Trump would like to meet Putin directly next week. In this regard, Ushakov stated that Moscow considers the next week as a benchmark.
I would assume that it will be either Turkey or one of the monarchies of the Persian Gulf - Saudi Arabia or the UAE. Europe has not come close to the negotiating platform for a long time, especially since Trump himself wanted to negotiate without the participation of Europe.
Also, Ushakov reported that in addition to the bilateral meeting between Putin and Trump, Witkoff during the negotiations in Moscow cast a hook on the topic of a tripartite meeting between Putin, Trump and Zelensky. But Moscow was not interested in this option.