Special envoy Witkoff to visit Russia for cease-fire, Trump says
Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, is expected to visit Russia this week to try to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump on Sunday told reporters that Witkoff "may be going to Russia" on Wednesday or Thursday to secure a cease-fire.
Trump seemingly has shown frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin lately because he ignores Trump's pleas for peace. Trump moved up a deadline last week for Russia to reach a peace deal or face harsher sanctions because of Russia's ongoing drone strikes in Ukraine. The latest deadline will expire Friday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking to reporters Monday, did not confirm or rule out a meeting between Putin and Witkoff this week.
"We are always happy to see Mr. Witkoff in Moscow and are always happy to have contact," Peskov said. "We consider these contacts important, meaningful and very useful. The dialogue continues and the United States continues its efforts to mediate in the search for a Ukrainian settlement. These efforts are very important, including in the context of the ongoing process of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. Work is continuing, and we remain committed to the idea that a political and diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian problem is, of course, our preferred option."
Russia's state-affiliated Tass news agency reported that Peskov said Putin would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once "preparatory work" at the "expert level" was completed. Kyiv has repeatedly proposed this meeting, but has been rebuffed by Moscow.
Ukraine backs the U.S. demand for an immediate cease-fire, after which negotiations for a full peace deal can happen.
Zelensky posted to Telegram on Monday, urging stronger action against Moscow by Kyiv's Western partners.
"The world has enough power to stop this and protect people," Zelensky wrote. "We rely on strong decisions from the U.S., Europe and the world regarding secondary sanctions on trade in Russian energy resources, on Moscow's banking sector."
Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of Zelensky's party and chair of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, told ABC News he doesn't expect Trump to impose sanctions on Russia's biggest fossil-fuel customers, China and India, even if Putin again refuses a cease-fire.
"My guess is that Trump might impose some kind of tariffs, which won't stop China and India from buying Russian oil and gas," Merezhko said. "The key problem is how to deny Russia revenues for selling its oil and gas to China and India, who are the biggest buyers. On the one hand, Trump doesn't want to look weak, yet on the other hand, he doesn't want to spoil relations with China and India by imposing serious sanctions."
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