US Envoy Witkoff arrives in Moscow - VIDEO
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Moscow, where he was welcomed by Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, a source told Reuters on Wednesday. The visit comes as part of a high-stakes diplomatic push from Washington, following President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Moscow demanding a ceasefire in Ukraine by Friday.
The Kremlin has not ruled out a possible meeting between Witkoff and President Vladimir Putin. While officials have not confirmed the envoy's full agenda, sources in Washington said Witkoff is expected to hold talks with senior Russian leadership, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The visit follows Trump's warning that Moscow will face fresh U.S. sanctions — including tariffs targeting major buyers of Russian oil such as India and China — if it fails to agree to a ceasefire.
“The visit of Witkoff is a last-ditch effort to find a face-saving solution for both sides,” said Gerhard Mangott, an Austrian analyst familiar with Kremlin affairs. “But I don’t think there will be any real compromise.”
According to Kremlin insiders, President Putin remains skeptical that additional sanctions will sway Russia’s position. They say the Russian leader views victory in Ukraine as more critical than improving ties with Washington — despite concerns about potential diplomatic fallout.
“Putin doesn’t want to alienate Trump,” one source said, “but he’s not willing to abandon his military objectives either.”
Analysts suggest Russia may reiterate its long-standing conditions for a ceasefire — demands Kyiv and its allies have consistently rejected.
Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer with no prior diplomatic experience, joined Trump’s team earlier this year. His appointment has drawn criticism from some foreign policy experts who question his preparedness for direct negotiations with the Kremlin.
On his previous visit in April, Witkoff met with Putin in a closed-door session, unaccompanied by U.S. diplomats or aides. Critics noted his perceived alignment with Russian narratives — particularly following a March interview where he downplayed Moscow’s ambitions in Ukraine, calling it “preposterous” to think Putin wanted to invade further into Europe.
Moscow has repeatedly rejected claims of expansionist aims, dismissing them as “Russophobic” rhetoric from NATO and the West. However, Ukraine and many European governments argue that Russia’s actions on the ground suggest otherwise.
As pressure builds ahead of Trump’s Friday deadline, all eyes remain on Moscow — and on whether this latest diplomatic effort can achieve a breakthrough in the nearly four-year-long war.
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