Putin meets Trump's special envoy in Moscow as US ultimatum expires

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, according to the Kremlin, just days before President Donald Trump's ultimatum for Russia to halt its offensive in Ukraine expires.

The Russian leader and the envoy shook hands warmly, smiling at the start of their meeting in an ornate room at the government headquarters, according to images released by the Russian presidential press service.

Witkoff “was received by the special representative of President [Vladimir Putin], Kirill Dmitriev,” Tass news agency reported.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have been tense since last week, after Trump deployed two nuclear submarines in response to comments by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Witkoff, Trump’s key envoy on peace missions, has met with Russian leaders multiple times but has yet to secure a commitment to end hostilities, prompting Trump to adopt a tougher stance.

Along these lines, the U.S. president gave his Russian counterpart between 10-12 days to halt its offensive in Ukraine or face unspecified new sanctions. Trump has also threatened to impose additional tariffs on countries that continue trading with Russia, including China and India.

Zelensky calls for "increased pressure" on Russian oil after talks with Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Western countries Tuesday to “increase pressure” on Russia’s oil revenues. He also announced that he had spoken by phone with Trump about sanctions against Moscow and military cooperation.

The U.S. president, who began his second term in January promising to end the war in Ukraine within days, is growing increasingly frustrated with Putin. When asked by reporters about Witkoff’s message to Moscow and whether Russia can avoid sanctions, he replied, "Yes, we've got to get to a deal where people stop getting killed."

The Kremlin called the threats "illegitimate."

Trump said he would wait for the outcome of the Moscow meeting before deciding on sanctions. "Let's see what happens (...) We will make the determination at this point," he said.

Fighting continues in Ukraine

Despite mounting U.S. pressure, the fighting continues. Russian drone attacks in Ukraine wounded three people at dawn Wednesday in the Zaporiyia region and two more in the Kherson region, according to regional military authorities.

On the other side of the front line, the Russian Defense Ministry announced it intercepted 51 Ukrainian drones overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. According to an AFP tally based on figures provided by Kiev, the Russian military fired 6,297 drones at Ukraine in July — a record since the invasion began in 2022.

NATO partners begin purchase of U.S. weaponry for Ukraine

To bolster Ukraine's defenses, Sweden, Denmark and Norway announced Tuesday their intention to purchase weapons from U.S. stockpiles. Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo will donate $500 million in military aid, including air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and spare parts.

"Ukraine is not only fighting for its own security, but also for ours," Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson stated at a press conference.

Last month, the U.S. president announced a project in collaboration with NATO Chief Mark Rutte for European allies and Canada to acquire U.S. weapons, including advanced Patriot systems.

Putin refuses to lower demands for peace

Putin said Friday that he wants peace but refuses to lower his demands, which include Ukraine ceding four partially occupied regions—Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporiyia, and Kherson—plus Crimea, which was annexed in 2014. He also demands that the Zelensky government renounce Western arms supplies and any future NATO membership.

**EDITOR'S NOTE**

The original article title was Trump’s envoy arrives in Russia for negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. After Steve Witkoff’s meeting with Vladimir Putin was confirmed, the title and the first two paragraphs were updated.