US envoy Witkoff in Russia as Trump’s Ukraine ceasefire deadline looms

President Donald Trump has warned that helium would enforce sanctions connected Russia if Moscow does not hold to a ceasefire.

United States peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived successful Moscow, days earlier the White House’s deadline for Russia to scope a bid woody with Ukraine oregon look economical penalties.

President Donald Trump has warned that helium would enforce sanctions connected Russia if Moscow does not hold to a ceasefire successful its warfare connected Ukraine earlier Friday.

The White House has not outlined circumstantial actions it plans to take, but Trump has antecedently threatened to enforce “secondary tariffs” against Russia’s trade partners, specified arsenic India and China.

After arriving successful Moscow connected Wednesday, Witkoff was met by statesmanlike peculiar typical Kirill Dmitriev, Russian authorities quality bureau TASS said.

Dmitriev had played a cardinal relation successful nonstop bid talks betwixt Russia and Ukraine successful Istanbul successful caller months, arsenic good arsenic discussions betwixt Russian and US officials.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov welcomed connected Monday Witkoff’s visit. “We see (talks with Witkoff) important, substantive and precise useful,” helium said.

The Kremlin has not said whether Witkoff volition conscionable President Vladimir Putin during his visit.

When reporters asked Trump connected Monday what Witkoff’s connection would beryllium to Moscow, and if determination was thing Russia could bash to debar the sanctions, Trump replied: “Yeah, get a woody wherever radical halt getting killed.”

Witkoff, a existent property billionaire, has had respective agelong meetings with Putin. He had nary diplomatic acquisition earlier joining Trump’s squad successful January, and critics person portrayed him arsenic implicit his caput for specified tasks.

Three erstwhile rounds of bid talks successful Istanbul successful an effort to broker a ceasefire betwixt Russia and Ukraine person failed to marque headway.

Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said connected Friday that helium wants bid but that his demands for ending the astir three-and-a-half-year violative were unchanged. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede much territory and renounce Western support, including seeking NATO membership.

Kyiv is calling for an contiguous ceasefire, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy past week urged his allies to propulsion for “regime change” successful Moscow.