Skip next section US envoy Witkoff in Moscow for talks
08/06/2025August 6, 2025
US envoy Witkoff in Moscow for talks
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Wednesday, state media reported, where he will meet with Russian officials , with President ‘s deadline to impose fresh sanctions over the war in Ukraine just days away.
It is unclear whether Witkoff will meet with Russian President .
Trump has given the Kremlin until Friday to halt its offensive in Ukraine or face further sanctions.
The White House has not been specific regarding potential penalties, but Trump has previously threatened to impose “secondary tariffs” targeting Moscow’s remaining trade partners, including China and India.
Trump said Tuesday that he would await the outcome of Witkoff’s visit before moving forward.
“We’re going to see what happens,” he told reporters. “We’ll make that determination at that time.”
After arriving in the Russian capital, Witkoff was met by presidential special representative Kirill Dmitriev, Russian state news agency TASS said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4ya1D
Skip next section Zelenskyy and Trump speak about ‘ending the war’
08/06/2025August 6, 2025
Zelenskyy and Trump speak about ‘ending the war’
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had had a “productive” conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump.
The Ukrainian president said “the key focus” of their conversation centered around “ending the war.”
“Many months could have already passed without war, had Russia not been prolonging it,” he continued.
“Today, we coordinated our positions, Ukraine and the United States. We exchanged assessments of the situation: The Russians have intensified the brutality of their attacks. President Trump is fully informed about Russian strikes on Kyiv and other cities and communities.”
Zelenskyy said the paid also spoke about sanctions on Russia with Trump’s August 8 deadline for Putin to end the war looming large.
“Their economy continues to decline, and that’s exactly why Moscow is so sensitive to this prospect and President Trump’s resolve,” Zelenskyy said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4ya6G
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage08/06/2025August 6, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Today’s spotlight is firmly on Moscow, where US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting with Russian officials, just days ahead of a deadline set by his boss.
President Donald Trump has warned that if Russia fails to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by Friday, it will face new sanctions.
However, the lack of urgency in Moscow over the past few days suggests Witkoff may leave empty handed. In fact, sources close to the Kremlin say Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he is gaining ground in Ukraine, and that takes precedence over improving relations with the United States.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has used this moment to press his case for tougher sanctions on Moscow in a call with Trump ahead of Witkoff’s visit.
We’ll be covering all these topics in this blog, with a focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
https://p.dw.com/p/4yZzC
The post Ukraine updates: Trump envoy Witkoff visits Moscow appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
