DONALD Trump will reportedly “go ballistic” if Putin doesn’t agree to a last-minute peace deal as his envoy lands in Moscow for make-or-break talks.
Steve Witkoff has arrived in the Russian capital for a showdown two days before the expiry of a deadline set by Trump and the threat of a new sledgehammer sanctions.
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Witkoff was greeted by Kirill Dmitriev – Russia’s investment envoy and head of its sovereign wealth fund.
Russian state media showed the pair strolling through a park near the Kremlin flanked by aides and security, appearing deep in conversation.
Witkoff is expected to meet with top Russian leaders on Wednesday – but it’s not known yet whether he will meet Putin.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We are always glad to see Mr Witkoff in Moscow. We view such contacts as important, substantive and very useful.”
Frustrated with Vlad over the lack of progress towards a peace deal in Ukraine, Trump has threatened to slap heavy tariffs on countries that buy Russian exports.
The US president is heaping pressure on India as well as China, a huge buyer of Russian oil.
Trump is also considering sanctions on Russia‘s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers if Putin doesn’t agree to a ceasefire, according to reports.
A source close to the US administration told the Financial Times: “If Witkoff comes back empty-handed, with absolutely nothing, Trump is going to go ballistic.”
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly added that Trump “has been clear that there will be biting sanctions if Putin does not agree to end the war”.
The Kremlin has hit back and says threats to penalise countries that trade with Russia are illegal.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev previously warned: “Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.”
And sources close to the Kremlin said Putin is unlikely to bow to Trump’s sanctions ultimatum – which would come into force on August 9 if a peace deal is not agreed.
Gerhard Mangott, a member of a group of Western academics who have met regularly with Putin over the years, said: “The visit of Witkoff is a last-ditch effort to find a face-saving solution for both sides.
“I don’t think, however, that there will be anything of a compromise between the two.
“Russia will insist it is prepared to have a ceasefire, but (only) under the conditions that it has formulated for the last two or three years already.
“Trump will be under pressure to do what he has announced – to raise tariffs for all the countries buying oil and gas, and uranium probably as well, from Russia.”
Sources told The New York Post that Witkoff has been encouraged to take a sterner approach to Wednesday’s make-or-break meeting.
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They said Trump’s administration is “pushing hard for a deal”.
On July 14, Trump said he would impose 100 per cent import duties on Russia and its trading partners if Moscow and US didn’t reach an agreement on a Ukraine peace deal within 50 days.
On July 29, Trump said he had decided to reduce this period to 10 days.
Russian sources said Putin is sceptical that more sanctions will have any impact after waves of economic penalties during the ongoing war.
They said the Russian president doesn’t want to anger Trump – and he realises that he may be ruining a chance to improve relations with the US and the West.
But his war goals are more important to him, the sources added.
Hours before Witkoff touched down, Putin’s troops bombed a gas compressor station half a mile from Nato territory – a clear signal of his intention to carry on the war.
The visit of Witkoff is a last-ditch effort to find a face-saving solution for both sides
Gerhard Mangott
The drone strike exploded oil and gas pipelines at the Orlivka plant in Odesa – with neighbouring Romania scrambling two F-16 warplanes.
Real estate billionaire Witkoff has had several meetings with Putin – tasked with seeking a ceasefire in Ukraine.
He last visited Moscow on April 25, and was in St Petersburg on April 11.
Putin held meetings with him during both visits.
It comes a day after Russia declared there are now “no limits” on its deployment of nuclear missiles.
In a warning to the West, Moscow vowed to match any US and Nato moves with force – reigniting fears of a Cold War-style arms race.
Meanwhile, Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned near Russia in case “foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that”.
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