Trump’s Special Envoy Spends 3 Hours Urging Putin to Accept Ceasefire

Trump’s special envoy Steven Witkoff concluded a nearly three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, marking a significant moment in ongoing backchannel diplomacy between the two nations. Witkoff arrived in the Russian capital on the morning of August 6.

Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev commented on the completion of negotiations between President Vladimir Putin and US Presidential Special Representative Steve Witkoff.

"Dialogue will prevail," he wrote.

According to reports, Witkoff is expected to stay in Moscow on Wednesday for additional meetings with Russian leadership. While Washington has not disclosed the full itinerary of the envoy’s visit, U.S. media suggest the primary goal is to encourage Putin to consider a ceasefire agreement in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

Late on August 5, a flight presumed to carry Witkoff departed from the United States. Earlier statements by President Donald Trump hinted that his envoy might travel to Russia on August 6 or 7.

Alexey Martynov, Associate Professor at the Financial University under the Government of Russia, suggested that Witkoff’s visit may have been rescheduled due to recent signals from Putin during his meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Valaam Island.

Envoy Sent to Push for Truce

According to The Hill, Witkoff’s mission is to persuade Putin to consider a temporary truce. Should these efforts fail, Trump may resort to secondary tariffs targeting nations that import Russian oil, the outlet notes.

"If Witkoff returns empty-handed, completely empty-handed, Trump will be furious," – Financial Times

German newspaper Berliner Zeitung echoed this sentiment, with columnist Nicholas Butilin writing that Witkoff’s visit could clarify whether any behind-the-scenes progress is being made toward a compromise between Moscow and Kyiv. However, he added that the chances of a peace agreement in the near term remain “extremely low.”

U.S. State Department: No Comment on Trump’s Next Move

Official U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to speculate on what Trump might do following the Moscow visit. “I don’t know, and I won’t pretend to know what President Trump will deem acceptable,” she stated.

Bruce added that Trump has “many tools of economic pressure” available for use against Russia and its trading partners such as India and China, but she refrained from commenting on potential next steps.

Kremlin Calls Talks Very Important

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of talks with Trump’s envoy. “We consider such meetings very important,” he said, while refusing to elaborate before the discussions concluded.

Peskov also confirmed that a meeting between President Putin and Witkoff had not been ruled out—and indeed, it later took place.

Russian Officials Hope for Concrete Proposals

Alexey Chepa, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, confirmed that Russia maintains ongoing contacts with the U.S. regarding conflict resolution, though exchanges with Ukraine are limited to prisoner swaps.

Chepa expressed hope that Witkoff’s visit would include concrete proposals from Trump and potentially lead to new agreements. “I’m confident some arrangements will be made,” the lawmaker stated.