US Envoy Witkoff Meets Putin in Moscow for Ukraine War Talks Amid Sanctions Deadline
If Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire, President Donald Trump has threatened to put penalties on Russia.
Days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to achieve a peace agreement with Ukraine or face economic sanctions, the Kremlin announced that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff had met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Additional information on Wednesday’s meeting in Moscow was not immediately released by the Kremlin. According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Witkoff had previously met with Kirill Dmitriev, the president’s special representative.
Dmitriev had been a prominent player in recent months in meetings between Russian and US officials and in direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
If Moscow does not agree to a truce in its war on Ukraine by Friday, President Donald Trump has threatened to put penalties on the country.
Trump has previously threatened to apply “secondary tariffs” against Russia’s trading partners, including China and India, but the White House has not specified the precise measures it intends to take.
In response to reporters’ questions on Monday about Witkoff’s message to Moscow and whether Russia could do anything to evade the sanctions, Trump said, “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.”
Witkoff, a billionaire in real estate, has met with Putin for extended periods of time. Prior to joining Trump’s staff in January, he lacked any diplomatic experience, and many have accused him of being unfit for such positions.
In an effort to mediate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, three rounds of peace negotiations have already failed in Istanbul.
Putin, who has repeatedly denied pleas for a ceasefire, stated on Friday that while he wants peace, his demands to halt the offensive, which has lasted for almost three and a half years, have not changed.
Moscow has insisted that Ukraine give up Western assistance, including applying to join NATO, and give up additional territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week pushed his allies to advocate for “regime change” in Moscow, while Kyiv is demanding an immediate ceasefire.
Source: Al Jazeera
