Trump Retreats: Moscow Awaits New US Proposals Through Witkoff

Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow on August 6–7, tasked with delivering new proposals as Donald Trump seeks a way to avoid enforcing his own 100% sanctions threat against Russia. With just ten days left of his reduced ultimatum on the Ukraine ceasefire, Trump has acknowledged that Russia is effectively circumventing sanctions, leaving his administration with few viable options.

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USA and Russia

The White House now faces two choices: either impose the full sanctions as promised—despite their limited effect—or seek a political maneuver to delay or soften the implementation. Witkoff's mission to Moscow is intended to explore this second option, potentially offering concessions such as excluding China from secondary sanctions related to Russian oil. However, this would severely undermine Trump's narrative of "peace through strength" and blur the line between his administration and that of Joe Biden.

"Trump’s shift toward diplomacy may be seen by MAGA supporters as a slide into Biden-style foreign policy—fighting endless wars instead of putting Americans first."

Kremlin Welcomes Witkoff, Uses Time to Its Advantage

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow is open to Witkoff’s visit, calling it "important, significant, and very useful." Peskov also praised Trump’s administration for supporting the peace process and emphasized that preparations for a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky remain ongoing—albeit with no visible progress. This deliberate stalling allows Russia to continue its military operations while maintaining the appearance of openness to dialogue.

Putin has reiterated that Russia’s goal remains the elimination of the root causes of the conflict and securing its own national interests. Referring indirectly to Trump, Putin noted that "disappointment often stems from inflated expectations" and stressed that negotiations over Ukraine should be held discreetly and without public spectacle.

"Russia has learned to boil the frog slowly," Western analysts note, as Moscow quietly achieves strategic goals without provoking global backlash.

Trump’s Hand Is Empty in the Proxy War

Mignon Houston, deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, affirmed Washington’s ongoing support for Ukraine and the desire for a full ceasefire. However, the Kremlin insists that such calls must be matched with concrete actions—namely halting weapons supplies to Kyiv and lifting sanctions. These proposals, raised repeatedly by Russia, have yet to be embraced by Washington.

Trump, for now, lacks any real leverage. The idea of sending US submarines closer to Russian shores is seen as a hollow bluff. Meanwhile, Russia continues to defend its tanker fleet, including an incident on May 14 when a Russian fighter jet warded off an Estonian patrol vessel attempting to inspect a Gabon-flagged ship. Another possible Trump move—convincing India and China to reduce Russian oil imports—also appears infeasible. The strength of BRICS has been vastly underestimated by Washington.

With few cards left, Trump’s gamble now rests on what Witkoff returns with from Moscow. The success or failure of this mission may determine whether the US escalates or retreats in its sanctions war with the Kremlin.