U.S. Special Envoy Jason Witkoff is expected to arrive in Moscow on Sunday in a renewed attempt to jump-start peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, as President Donald Trump’s August 8th deadline for a resolution to the conflict draws near.
The visit was confirmed Saturday by U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, who expressed hope that Witkoff’s return to Moscow could result in a diplomatic breakthrough. The envoy had recently been in Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and toured Gaza. Although a Moscow trip had been expected following his Middle East stop, the timing was only confirmed this weekend.
It remains unclear who Witkoff will meet during his visit, though he has previously held four extended meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin between February 11th and April 25th. Each of those meetings reportedly lasted between two and four hours.
In May, the Trump-mediated negotiation process collapsed after Russia rejected a ceasefire proposal along the existing front lines. Witkoff, who was scheduled to deliver what the administration described as Trump’s “final offer,” was advised by Russian officials not to come, signaling a deadlock in diplomatic engagement.
Frustrated by the impasse, President Trump issued a 50-day ultimatum to Putin last month, threatening new sanctions and punitive tariffs on Russia’s major trading partners, including China and India, if the war was not ended by August 8th. He later shortened the window to 10 days, escalating pressure on Moscow.
Despite Trump’s threats, both Beijing and New Delhi have indicated they will continue to purchase Russian energy, defying U.S. pressure. Russia, for its part, has shown little indication of altering its position in response to the American timeline.
Witkoff’s visit, while symbolically significant, is not expected to yield immediate results. Sources familiar with the matter say the envoy is unlikely to offer concessions that would meet Russia’s core demands — and even if some progress is made, any proposed terms would still need Ukraine’s approval, which remains far from guaranteed.
The trip may represent a final diplomatic push before Trump faces the reality of becoming increasingly entangled in a war he campaigned on ending within 24 hours of taking office.