Despite President Donald Trump calling a recent meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin “highly productive,” the White House confirmed that a new round of sanctions on Russia will still go into effect this Friday.
Trump, writing on social media, said “great progress was made” during the Wednesday meeting and revealed that several European allies have already been briefed. Multiple sources confirmed Trump has informed European leaders of plans to meet with Putin—potentially as early as next week—followed by a trilateral discussion involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump’s willingness to meet both leaders, stating:
The Russians have expressed interest in meeting with President Trump, and the president is open to engaging with both President Putin and President Zelensky. President Trump wants this brutal war to end.
Still, another official noted the challenges of arranging high-level diplomatic meetings on such short notice.
The Witkoff-Putin meeting came shortly after Trump issued a stern ceasefire ultimatum to Moscow, warning of severe secondary sanctions, including a 100% tariff on oil imports from countries continuing to buy Russian oil. Energy exports are a major source of revenue for the Kremlin, and losing key buyers would deal a heavy blow to its military operations in Ukraine.
The Kremlin described the meeting as “constructive,” though more details are expected after Witkoff briefs Trump. Ukrainian President Zelensky responded cautiously, saying:
The pressure on Russia is working. But the key is to ensure they don’t deceive us in the details—neither us, nor the United States.
Witkoff, welcomed in Moscow by Russian investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, was seen shaking hands with Putin before the three-hour closed-door meeting. The day before, Trump spoke with Zelensky to align on sanctions strategy.
Meanwhile, the U.S. imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods shortly after the meeting, in retaliation for India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil.
India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil but also reselling it for profit. They don’t care how many people are being killed in Ukraine, Trump posted online.
On the battlefield, Ukraine endured another round of deadly Russian attacks overnight. At least six civilians were killed, including two in a strike on a Zaporizhzhia recreation center. A key gas compressor station near the Romanian border was also hit by drones, cutting energy to hundreds of families.
Zelensky condemned the attacks as “cruel and calculated,” saying:
This was a deliberate blow to our preparations for the heating season—absolutely cynical, like every Russian strike on our energy infrastructure.
Amid the escalating conflict, the U.S. State Department reportedly approved a $200 million agreement allowing Ukraine’s allies to purchase military equipment and support services for Kyiv. Official U.S. confirmation is still pending.
Separately, Zelensky welcomed new NATO pledges worth over $1 billion in support—part of a joint initiative by the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden to procure U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.