Trump confirmed the appointment of Vitkoff to Russia and new sanctions

• Steve Vitkoff is heading to Russia for discussions on the conflict in Ukraine.
• The USA plans to impose new sanctions against Moscow, hoping their impact will be substantial.
• Vitkoff met with Putin earlier, but progress in the negotiations was minimal.

President Donald Trump announced that his special envoy Steve Vitkoff is heading to Russia in the coming days. This information was provided by Trump during a press conference at the White House on July 31, 2025.

Trump also stated that the USA plans to introduce new sanctions against Russia. He expressed uncertainty regarding whether these sanctions would have a real effect on Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I don’t know if the sanctions will hit him. They know about the sanctions," he noted.

Vitkoff had previously visited Russia in April, where he met with Putin. At that time, he discussed the possibility of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. However, according to him, the quickest path to peace may lie in transferring control of eastern Ukrainian regions to Russia.

Details of Vitkoff's visit to Russia are not disclosed, but Trump confirmed that he would be there after the visit to the Middle East, where he will discuss the situation in Gaza.

Tags: Ukraine/USA/Russia/Politics