US President's special envoy Steve Withoff met in the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of President Donald Trump's possible introduction of new sanctions against Russia and its energy partners.
Withoff's visit to Moscow was delayed; it was originally scheduled after his trip to the Middle East, but the envoy unexpectedly returned to America. This indicates significant differences between the Kremlin and the White House regarding possible compromises before the sanctions are imposed.
The latest meeting lacked the previously seen friendly gestures between the leaders, reflecting a cooling in relations. Putin's favor in Trump's eyes seems to have waned, along with Trump's confidence in being able to reach an agreement to stop the war. Trump continues to threaten new sanctions, and may announce decisions in the hours following the meeting.
However, there are no guarantees that sanctions alone can end the war. The US administration seeks compromise not to demonstrate a lack of leverage.
For Putin, the main question is whether sanctions will actually hit the Russian budget or whether deeper ties with China, India, and Brazil—continuing to buy Russian oil—will mitigate the impact. There is a risk that energy partners may change their position, affecting Kremlin's finances. Thus, Putin might make limited concessions to buy more time before facing new US sanctions.
A likely compromise could be a so-called "air truce": halting mass bombings of Ukrainian cities, but keeping combat at the front active. For Trump, this would serve as proof of progress in containing the conflict; for Putin, an opportunity to regroup and stockpile resources.
Such a scenario could lead to destabilization in Ukraine and increased pressure on its leadership to reach a deal with Moscow, similar to experiences between 2014 and 2019.
Ultimately, the final decision rests with Putin, and Trump's reaction will follow in the coming days. None of the possible compromises guarantees a swift end to the war.
