A motorcade, reportedly transporting U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, leaves Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia August 6, 2025, on this nonetheless picture taken from video
| Picture Credit score:
YULIA MOROZOVA
US President Donald Trump’s trusted overseas envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday in what CNN described as a last-ditch effort to avert new sanctions Trump has threatened to impose this week.
In accordance with CNN, Witkoff landed in Moscow on Wednesday morning and was greeted on the airport by Russia’s funding envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Later, Kremlin video confirmed him shaking palms with Putin forward of their assembly. Whether or not Putin can persuade Witkoff — and, by extension, Trump — that he’s keen to finish Russia’s warfare in Ukraine stays unsure, CNN reported.
Trump has expressed doubts over Putin’s intentions and seems cautious of being strung alongside by a frontrunner he now brazenly distrusts. Trump stated a day earlier than Witkoff’s assembly that he would resolve on sanctions after the talks conclude.
“We will see what occurs,” he stated on the White Home. “We’ll make that willpower at the moment. “The assembly came about amid heightened tensions. Since Witkoff’s final go to in April, Russia has resisted US-led peace efforts and intensified missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, together with Kyiv.
A day forward of Witkoff’s arrival, Trump spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to debate doable sanctions on Moscow.
In a social media submit, Zelensky stated the sanctions may “change so much” for Russia’s economic system. He additionally confirmed discussions on elevated US weapons help for Ukraine, funded by NATO allies — a coverage Trump accepted final month.
Trump has set a Friday deadline for Russia to conform to a peace deal or face new measures, together with sanctions on its economic system and on consumers of its vitality merchandise.
“There will be sanctions, however they appear to be fairly good at avoiding sanctions,” Trump instructed CNBC. “You understand, they’re wily characters, and so they’re fairly good at avoiding sanctions. So we’ll see what occurs.”
CNN reported that Trump has additionally ordered the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines, which some European officers view as a present of pressure forward of Witkoff’s talks.
Nonetheless, it stays unclear if the transfer has been carried out. If Moscow fails to satisfy the deadline, Trump has threatened “secondary tariffs” on international locations shopping for Russian vitality — a step that might impression main prospects like China and India.
“They’re fuelling the warfare machine, and if they are going to do this, then I am not going to be completely happy,” Trump stated. Witkoff’s go to marks his first journey to Russia in months. Earlier this yr, considerations have been raised in Washington about his diplomatic inexperience, significantly after he met Putin with out a US translator current.
After his final assembly with Putin, Witkoff instructed CNN that the Russian chief “sees the chance for the primary time in a long time” to recalibrate US-Russia relations. Months later, nevertheless, the warfare continues and relations stay strained.
Revealed on August 6, 2025