MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin received U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, at the Kremlin on Wednesday, just two days before Moscow faces a critical deadline to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine or be hit with new sanctions.
The Kremlin confirmed the meeting in a brief statement but did not disclose details of the discussions. A video released later showed Putin shaking hands with Witkoff, signaling the significance of the diplomatic encounter.
Witkoff’s visit marks his fifth trip to Russia this year, including two visits in April that also involved meetings with the Russian president. His arrival comes just ahead of the August 9 deadline set by Trump, who in June had initially given Russia 50 days to reach a peace deal or face import duties of up to 100%—a deadline he later shortened to 10 days on July 29, citing his “disappointment” with Putin’s handling of the war.
The high-level engagement suggests last-minute efforts are underway to avoid further escalation, with the future of U.S.-Russia economic relations and the war in Ukraine hanging in the balance.
