US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, the White House confirmed, calling the discussions “positive” and “highly productive.” The meeting was part of a broader US push to find diplomatic openings in the ongoing Ukraine war, even as Washington prepares to impose another round of secondary sanctions on Russia this Friday.
Trump, posting on Truth Social, said “great progress was made” in the talks and added that he had updated some European allies after the meeting. “Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,” he said.
Despite the positive tone, a White House official stressed that the punitive sanctions will proceed as planned. “The Russians are eager to continue engaging with the United States. The secondary sanctions are still expected to be implemented on Friday,” the official said, Reuters reported.
Story continues below this ad
The White House did not share specifics of the Moscow talks, but described them as part of “strategic diplomacy” aimed at balancing pressure on the Kremlin with the possibility of breakthrough negotiations.
Witkoff’s visit comes as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The conflict has triggered sweeping international sanctions and has deeply strained Moscow’s relations with the West.
