Trump's envoy Witkoff arrives in Moscow in US gamble to end Ukraine war
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Witkoff arrived in the Russian capital for talks with officials on Wednesday, just two days before an August 8 deadline Trump set for Russia to reach a truce or face potential sanctions.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would not abandon his campaign in Ukraine, people familiar with the situation said the Kremlin might offer the US concessions that could include halting air strikes in a bid to avert new economic penalties.
Witkoff's visit follows an apparent shift in Trump's approach to the war, which initially saw him focus his pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky only to increasingly express frustration with Putin in recent weeks.
Russia fired a record number of long-range drones at Ukraine in July. Photo: Reuters
The barrage of Russian drones that have rained down on Ukrainian cities and the resulting images of destruction have made an impression on the US president, according to people close to him.
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