By Godfrey Gusha
Moscow — Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Wednesday with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s trusted foreign affairs point man, in a high-stakes attempt to stave off sweeping sanctions threatened by Washington.
Witkoff landed in Moscow earlier in the day and was welcomed by Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev before heading to the Kremlin. Footage released later showed Putin greeting Witkoff warmly with a handshake ahead of their closed-door talks.
The visit comes as the White House weighs imposing tough new sanctions on Russia over its protracted war in Ukraine. Trump has signaled skepticism about Putin’s willingness to halt the fighting, openly voicing distrust toward the Russian leader.
“We’re going to see what happens,” Trump said Tuesday at the White House, confirming he would delay a sanctions decision until after the meeting.
Putin has continued to pursue maximalist war aims, seeking control of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson while demanding Ukraine reduce its military capacity.
While the Kremlin hopes Witkoff’s mission can ease tensions, questions remain over whether Putin can convince Trump through his envoy that Moscow is serious about peace.
