President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Russia later this week. The visit comes just before a US deadline for Russia to take action toward ending the war in Ukraine or face new sanctions.
Trump also told reporters that two American nuclear submarines have been sent “to the region” after a recent online clash with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. He did not explain whether the submarines are nuclear-powered or carry nuclear weapons. Their exact locations were not shared, which is standard for U.S. military operations.
This show of military strength comes as time runs out for Russia to respond to Washington’s demands.
A Diplomatic Mission With High Stakes
Witkoff is expected to arrive in Russia on Wednesday or Thursday. His goal is to push for a peaceful resolution to the war. When asked what message the envoy would deliver, Trump responded, “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.”
“There’ll be sanctions, but they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions,” Trump told reporters in New Jersey. “They’re wily characters and they’re pretty good at avoiding sanctions, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump added.
Witkoff has already met Russian President Vladimir Putin several times. Earlier in Trump’s presidency, there were efforts to improve U.S.-Russia relations, but those talks have largely stalled.
If Russia does not act by the end of the week, Trump said new sanctions will be put in place. These could include penalties for other countries, such as China and India, that continue to trade with Russia. Such measures could cause major disruptions around the world.
Putin’s Unchanged Stance
Despite growing pressure, Russia’s military attacks on Ukraine have not stopped. On Friday, President Putin repeated his position. He said he wants peace, but only if Ukraine agrees to give up land and drop its plan to join NATO.
The war, which began in February 2022, has now lasted more than three years. Trump had once predicted the fighting would soon end, but in recent weeks he has shown growing frustration with Putin’s refusal to back down.
