Trump Sends Witkoff to Moscow as Kremlin Outmaneuvers Sanctions

Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow on August 6–7, tasked with delivering new proposals as Donald Trump seeks a way to avoid enforcing his own 100% sanctions threat against Russia. With just ten days left of his reduced ultimatum on the Ukraine ceasefire, Trump has acknowledged that Russia is effectively circumventing sanctions, leaving his administration with few viable options. The White House now faces two choices: either impose the full sanctions as promised—despite their limited effect—or seek a political maneuver to delay or soften the implementation. Witkoff's mission to Moscow is intended to explore this second option, potentially offering concessions such as excluding China from secondary sanctions related to Russian oil. However, this would severely undermine Trump's narrative of "peace through strength" and blur the line between his administration and that of Joe Biden. "Trump’s shift toward diplomacy may be seen by MAGA supporters as a slide into Biden-style foreign policy—fighting endless wars instead of putting Americans first." Kremlin Welcomes Witkoff, Uses Time to Its Advantage Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow is open to Witkoff’s visit, calling it "important, significant, and very useful." Peskov also praised Trump’s administration for supporting the peace process and emphasized that preparations for a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky remain ongoing—albeit with no visible progress. This deliberate stalling allows Russia to continue its military operations while maintaining the appearance of openness to dialogue.