Russian President Vladimir Putin received US Presidential Special Representative Steven Witkoff. The meeting is taking place in the Kremlin, the press service of the head of state reported.
Witkoff arrived in Moscow on August 6 at about 7:00 a.m. He was met at Vnukovo-2 Airport by Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian President’s Special Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. An hour later, they took a walk together in Zaryadye Park near the Kremlin.
This is Witkoff’s fifth visit to Russia since the beginning of the year. The American leader’s special representative last came to Moscow for talks on April 25, and before that, on April 11 in St. Petersburg. Putin met with him on both occasions.
Witkoff last came to Moscow for talks on April 25, and before that, on April 11 in St. Petersburg. Both times he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is Vitkoff’s fifth visit to Russia since the beginning of the year.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that he could impose sanctions against Russia on August 9 if the Ukrainian crisis is not resolved by that time.
At the same time, he noted that Russia is successfully coping with the sanctions. When asked whether Russia would be able to avoid sanctions from the current US administration, Trump replied that in order to do so, “we need to make a deal that prevents people from dying.”
On July 14, Trump announced that the United States would impose import duties of about 100% on Russia and its trading partners if Moscow and Washington do not reach an agreement to resolve the Ukrainian issue within 50 days. On July 29, Trump announced a decision to reduce this period to 10 days.
On August 5, Trump said that the United States would later decide on imposing duties on the aforementioned imports. According to him, the US’s further steps will depend on the outcome of negotiations in Moscow with his special representative Stephen Whittock.