White House envoy Steve Witkoff is set to arrive in Moscow on Wednesday, two days before President Trump’s August 8 deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face sweeping sanctions targeting its oil trade.
The Kremlin is reportedly weighing a limited concession to avert the sanctions, including the possibility of an airstrike pause—specifically a halt on drone and missile attacks—if Ukraine agrees to reciprocal terms.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the upcoming visit, saying, “We consider such meetings to be very important,” but declined to preview Russia’s proposals. A potential meeting with President Vladimir Putin may take place during the visit.
National security adviser Keith Kellogg is expected to travel to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later this week, according to Ukrayinska Pravda. Zelenskyy said he held “productive” talks with President Trump on Tuesday, including discussion of new sanctions. He added that Trump was “fully informed” about recent Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
