Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, just two days before a deadline set by the U.S. President Donald Trump for Russia to make progress toward ending its offensive in Ukraine—or face fresh sanctions.
The Kremlin confirmed the meeting and released footage of Putin shaking hands with Witkoff but did not provide further details on the discussions.
President Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office, has given Moscow until Friday to show meaningful steps toward peace. Failure to do so, he warned, could result in new punitive measures.
Despite three previous rounds of peace talks in Istanbul, no breakthrough has been achieved. Russia has since intensified its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine and continues to make advances on the battlefield.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Washington to increase pressure on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.
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While the White House has yet to announce the specific sanctions it might impose, Trump has hinted at possible “secondary tariffs” targeting Russia’s main trading partners, including China and India—measures that could severely impact Russian exports but risk broader global economic disruption.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said the outcome of the Moscow meeting would determine his next steps.
“We’re going to see what happens,” he said. “We’ll make that determination at that time.”