President Donald Trump confirmed the visit of his special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia on Sunday “Wednesday or Thursday”, after setting an ultimatum to the Russian president to end the war in Ukraine.
The emissary’s visit will take place “I am thinking next week on Wednesday or Thursday,” the American president told journalists.
Donald Trump also said that two nuclear submarines he had ordered deployment following an online argument with former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev were now “in the region”.
He did not specify whether they were nuclear propulsion submarines or submarines equipped with nuclear warheads. He also did not give details on the exact places of their deployment, kept secret by the American army.
This demonstration of force comes as Donald Trump set at the end of this week the deadline at which Russia will have to take measures to end the war in Ukraine, under penalty of new sanctions not specified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already met Steve Witkoff several times in Moscow, before Donald Trump’s efforts to restore relations with the Kremlin was abruptly interrupted.
To the journalists who asked him what would be Mr. Witkoff’s message to Moscow and if there was something that Russia could do to avoid sanctions, Trump replied: “Yes, conclude an agreement for people to stop being killed.”
Donald Trump has threatened to impose “secondary customs rights” on countries continuing to trade with Russia, such as China and India.
