Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, just days before the expiration of President Donald Trump’s ultimatum for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face a new wave of sweeping sanctions.
The Kremlin confirmed Witkoff’s visit but offered no further details about the closed-door talks. Kremlin-released photos showed Putin’s top foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, also in attendance.
Witkoff’s visit marks his fifth trip to Russia this year, signaling a rare channel of direct communication between Washington and Moscow after years of diplomatic freeze triggered by Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which began with its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
President Trump, who issued the ceasefire ultimatum in July, initially set a 50-day window for compliance. That timeline was later shortened, with the final deadline now set for this Friday.
With tensions escalating, Trump has warned of severe consequences if Moscow refuses to halt its offensive. He vowed to impose further sanctions—potentially including tariffs and secondary penalties targeting nations still engaged in commerce with Russia—in a bid to financially isolate the Kremlin and pressure it to end the war.
