The United States and Russia are locked in a standoff, with President Donald Trump warning Moscow of severe economic sanctions if it fails to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on August 6, 2025, in an attempt to broker a peace deal. Trump described the meeting as “highly productive,” saying, “Great progress was made!” and “Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come.”
Witkoff’s meeting with Putin lasted around three hours, during which they exchanged signals on the Ukraine issue and discussed potential strategic cooperation between Moscow and Washington. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov noted that while progress was made, no concrete details were shared. Russian presidential special representative Kirill Dmitriev expressed optimism, posting on social media, “Dialogue will prevail.”
Despite the seemingly positive tone, Trump has threatened to impose punitive economic sanctions on Russia if a peace deal is not reached within the specified timeframe. A White House official revealed that secondary sanctions against Russia are still expected to be imposed on Friday, after a 10-day deadline expires. Trump stated, “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed,” when asked about the message Witkoff would convey to Moscow.
In a related development, Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on goods from India, citing the country’s imports of Russian oil. The announcement emphasized that Russia’s actions pose “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed Witkoff’s visit with Trump, stressing that Ukraine will defend its independence and push for a lasting peace. Zelenskyy added, “It seems that Russia is now more inclined to a ceasefire. The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details – neither us nor the US.”
Meanwhile, Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine. Russian forces hit a recreational center in the Zaporizhia region, killing two people and injuring 12, including two children. Zelenskyy condemned the strike, saying, “There is zero military sense in this strike. Only cruelty to intimidate.” Russia also targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure, striking power grids and heating gas facilities in the Odesa region.
The situation remains volatile, with Trump’s tariff threats and potential sanctions poised to further escalate tensions between the US and Russia. Putin has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, insisting that Moscow’s demands for ending the nearly three-and-a-half-year offensive remain unchanged. These demands include Ukraine ceding more territory and renouncing Western support, including seeking NATO membership.