Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to bow to a sanctions ultimatum expiring this Friday from U.S. President Donald Trump, and retains the goal of capturing four regions of Ukraine in their entirety,

Steve Witkoff is visiting Moscow this week - is it a sign that an agreement between Russia and the US to end the fighting in Ukraine could yet be reached?

The Kremlin is actively dragging out the prospect of negotiations with Kyiv, the publication highlighted. On Aug. 4, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin “does not rule out this meeting” [with Zelenskyy],

Donald Trump seems to have come up with a new strategy to force Vladimir Putin into ending the Ukraine war: going after Russia’s allies. The American president has said he wants to discourage Moscow’s allies from buying its oil to disrupt Russia’s economy – a move, he claimed, would end the conflict.

The coming week could be pivotal in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected in Moscow midweek.