US special envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Moscow, where he was greeted at the airport by Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The visit comes just days before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face new sanctions.
Trump had previously hinted that Witkoff might be traveling to Moscow this week. A source familiar with the plan stated that Witkoff was scheduled to meet with Russian leadership on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s state news agency TASS in remarks published on Wednesday that improving relations between Russia and the United States would take time. He noted that “there is, of course, inertia in this process,” referring to the prolonged lack of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
TASS reported that this marks the first time in modern Russian history that a new US president’s inauguration has passed more than six months without a summit with the Russian leader.
Witkoff’s visit is another diplomatic effort by Washington to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. Russia-US relations have seen escalating tensions recently, particularly after Trump ordered the repositioning of two nuclear submarines in response to comments made by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Trump has also issued an ultimatum to Putin, demanding a ceasefire in the war and a formal peace agreement by August 8. He has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia and 100% tariffs on countries that purchase its oil, such as China and India, if Putin does not agree to the ceasefire.
