Washington, August 4 — U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his special envoy, Stephen Witkoff, is scheduled to travel to Russia on August 6 or 7 for talks reportedly centered around the humanitarian situation in Gaza and broader regional security.
Speaking to reporters before departing Bedminster, New Jersey, for Washington on August 3, Trump said, “He’s focused on the border — I mean Gaza, food deliveries to people. I think he might go to Russia next week, Wednesday or Thursday. They want to see him, they requested a meeting,” he said. “We’ll see what happens,” he added.
The visit comes amid heightened pressure from Washington for a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine. Trump reiterated that new sanctions against Russia could be imposed as early as August 9 if no diplomatic breakthrough is reached. “But they seem to be doing very well at circumventing sanctions,” the president noted.
When asked whether Russia could avoid the new sanctions, Trump responded that “a deal must be made to stop the killing.”
Earlier on July 14, Trump set a 50-day deadline for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, threatening 100% trade tariffs on Moscow and its commercial allies. On July 29, expressing frustration with the lack of progress, he shortened the timeline to 10 days.
John Kelley, the acting U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations, later confirmed that August 8 is the administration’s informal deadline for a peace deal.
In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on July 30 that Russia’s economy continues to function effectively despite Western sanctions.
