Visit of Trump's envoy Witkoff to Russia expected on Wednesday, TASS cites sources

Visit of Trump's envoy Witkoff to Russia expected on Wednesday, TASS cites sources

President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Russia next week, according to sources cited by TASS. The visit, scheduled for either Wednesday or Thursday, comes amidst escalating tensions between the United States and Russia, with the looming deadline for Russia to end its war in Ukraine fast approaching.

Witkoff's mission is to secure an elusive ceasefire deal, with Trump stating that his envoy's message to Moscow would be to "get a deal where people stop getting killed" [1]. This visit is part of a series of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which began in February 2022.

The visit also coincides with Trump's recent deployment of two nuclear submarines following an online dispute with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The exact deployment locations of these submarines remain classified, but Trump has not specified whether they are nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed [2].

Trump has previously threatened to impose "very severe tariffs" on Russia if it fails to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine soon. However, the Republican leader has not specified which sanctions would be implemented, leaving the potential impact on Russia's economy uncertain.

Despite the pressure from Washington, Russia's onslaught against Ukraine continues to unfold. Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, maintaining that his demands for ending the invasion remain unchanged [3].

The visit of Witkoff to Moscow is seen as a last chance for Russia to stop the war, according to some analysts. However, the outcome of the visit remains uncertain, with the potential for new sanctions looming if no progress is made.

References:
[1] https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/global-trends/trump-confirms-us-envoy-steve-witkoff-to-travel-to-russia-next-week/articleshow/123084454.cms
[2] https://abcnews.go.com/International/trump-envoy-witkoff-head-russia-chance-ukraine-talks/story?id=124336363
[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/4/trump-says-us-envoy-witkoff-to-travel-to-russia-next-week