U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that his special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Russia later this week, as tensions with Moscow escalate ahead of a looming sanctions deadline. The diplomatic move comes amid renewed nuclear brinkmanship and continued fighting in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Witkoff’s visit was scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday and would carry a clear message for Russian President Vladimir Putin. When asked what the message would be, Trump replied bluntly: “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.”
The visit comes as the White House finalises a new round of sanctions set to be triggered by the end of next week unless Russia takes concrete steps to end its war in Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year. Trump has hinted that these measures could include severe “secondary tariffs” on Russian trade partners, including China and India — a move that could have sweeping global implications.
Adding to the tension, Trump revealed that two U.S. nuclear submarines have been deployed to the region following a fiery exchange with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on social media. While the president did not clarify whether the submarines are nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, their deployment signals a show of force at a critical moment in U.S.-Russia relations. The precise location of the vessels remains classified.
Although Trump initially sought to reset ties with Moscow early in his second term, relations have soured in recent months. The White House has grown increasingly frustrated with Russia’s unrelenting offensive in Ukraine and the Kremlin’s refusal to entertain ceasefire talks. Despite multiple meetings between Putin and Witkoff earlier in the administration, progress has stalled.
On the battlefield, Russia continues to press its advantage in eastern and southeastern Ukraine. Over the weekend, three civilians were killed in a Russian strike on Stepnohirsk, in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to regional officials. Ukrainian troops in nearby Kamianske are reportedly holding their positions as Russian forces advance westward.
Ukraine’s top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Saturday that Russian troops are now employing smaller sabotage units in an effort to infiltrate and destabilise Ukrainian defences, particularly around the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk in Donetsk.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claims it has seized control of Chasiv Yar and another village nearby, though Ukrainian officials have not confirmed those reports. The Russia-installed head of occupied Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, said the capture of Chasiv Yar would give Moscow’s forces a strategic edge in their push toward Pokrovsk.
In response, Ukrainian forces have ramped up counter-sabotage operations to defend their rear lines, General Syrskyi said.
As the battlefield situation intensifies, the success or failure of Witkoff’s visit could determine whether diplomacy can break the deadlock — or whether further confrontation lies ahead.
