Updated August 6, 2025 at 2:09 PM EDT
President Trump said on social media that his envoy, Steve Witkoff, had made "great progress" during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.
The meeting came ahead of a U.S.-imposed Friday deadline for Russia to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine or face new economic penalties.
"My Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, just had a highly productive meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Great progress was made!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies. Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come."
The Kremlin meeting lasted three hours, according to Putin's press team.
The Kremlin released a video showing Putin greeting Witkoff with a warm handshake. It was the two men's fifth meeting this year.
Yuri Ushakov, an adviser to Putin, was quoted by state media as calling the discussions "useful" and "constructive."
Ushakov added that while the two sides had exchanged "signals" on the "Ukraine issue," they also discussed "perspectives for possible strategic cooperation" between the U.S. and Russia.
But in a sign that some new penalties over Russia's war were already underway, President Trump signed an executive order saying he would slap an extra 25% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil. The order came before his social media post about progress in talks in Moscow.
Trump's frustration
The social media post by Trump followed weeks in which the president had grown frustrated with Putin over his failure to suspend attacks on Ukrainian cities despite months of U.S.-led peace efforts.
Trump had campaigned to return to office vowing he could leverage his personal relationship with Putin developed over his first term in office to end the war in "24 hours." His administration made overtures to the Kremlin, voicing support for key Russian demands of Ukraine.
But in mid-July, Trump announced a shift in policy. He said the U.S. had reached a deal to sell American-made weapons to NATO allies in Europe, which would then send U.S. weapons to Ukraine.
He also warned that Russia had 50 days to end the war or face "severe" new economic penalties. He said this included "secondary tariffs" on countries buying Russian goods. India and China are leading importers of oil from Russia.
Soon Trump upped his ultimatum, making this Friday the deadline for Russia to make peace.
Trump has explained that the plan is to starve the Russian war machine of fuel revenue. But speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he questioned whether more economic penalties could push Russia to change course. "You know, they're wily characters and they're pretty good at avoiding sanctions," Trump said.
Russia shrugs
Putin has largely avoided addressing Trump's threats in public, only breaking his silence last week with a brief, veiled reference to the U.S. leader.
"All disappointments stem from inflated expectations, as the saying goes," Putin told reporters last Friday following a visit to a monastery in northwest Russia.
"In order to solve the issue in a peaceful way," Putin said, "we need deep conversations, and not in public, but in the calm quiet of the negotiating process."
After Trump announced the shortened deadline for a peace deal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow had "taken note" of the U.S. leader's comments. Peskov downplayed the economic threats, claiming the Russian economy had grown largely "immune" to Western pressure following more than three years of sanctions.
Trump warms to Ukraine
While President Trump has increasingly criticized Russia, his relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has improved dramatically since they had an on-camera argument in the White House back in February.
In the latest sign, Zelenskyy said Tuesday on social media that he had a "productive conversation" with Trump on the eve of Witkoff's trip to Moscow.
"Of course, we spoke about sanctions against Russia," Zelenskyy said. "Their economy continues to decline, and that's exactly why Moscow is so sensitive to this prospect and President Trump's resolve."
Zelenskyy also announced that four European countries have agreed to buy U.S. weapons and send them to Ukraine under the arrangement Trump announced last month.
"We already have commitments from the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark – over one billion dollars for American weapons that Ukraine will receive. Thank you! This cooperation with NATO countries will continue," Zelenskyy said.
The Netherlands said it will send American missiles and other parts for U.S. Patriot air defense systems already in Ukraine, valuing the assistance at more than $500 million.
The Patriot batteries are Ukraine's most effective means of shooting down incoming Russian missiles. The Ukrainians say they urgently need additional missiles for the Patriot batteries to defend against escalating Russian airstrikes.
"This helps Ukraine to defend itself and the rest of Europe against Russian aggression," Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans wrote on X.
Sweden, Norway and Denmark say they've collectively agreed to support a package of U.S. weapons as well, this one for a little under $500 million. There was no immediate word on which U.S. arms they would send to Ukraine.
Trump came into office in January saying he opposed additional U.S. military aid for Ukraine. But at the White House meeting with Rutte, Trump said he supported NATO countries buying U.S. weapons and then sending them on to Ukraine.
NPR's Greg Myre contributed reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine.
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