Donald Trump's negotiator, Steve Witkoff, has arrived in Moscow for a crucial meeting: one that has to convince Vladimir Putin to accept a total ceasefire in Ukraine (something that has not happened since this negotiating effort began in January) before the deadline of his ultimatum. A video of Witkoff walking the streets of Moscow with Kiril Dimitriev, director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and one of Putin's trusted negotiators, has been released.
Time is running out for Moscow. This Friday, if there is no movement from the Kremlin, Trump will have to take action with a battery of direct and secondary sanctions against those who buy gas or oil from Russia. So far, Trump has threatened several times, but has never acted against Russia during this negotiating process.
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Some sources close to the Kremlin believe that Putin will continue to offer alternatives to the ceasefire, but without fully accepting it, to buy time and not upset Trump. The Kremlin's recourse would be to offer an aerial truce, that is, to stop attacking with missiles and drones. This gesture, which may be significant at a time when Moscow strikes Ukrainian cities and civilians every night with ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones, would exclude the long front line, where according to Trump, thousands of soldiers die every week.
Since January, Russia has maintained maximalist demands (impossible to accept) regarding the cession of Ukrainian territories, even some that have not been conquered by Russia, in addition to its future neutrality towards NATO and holding elections, as Moscow considers Zelenski an "illegitimate ruler." The only tangible progress made has been in the exchange of prisoners. The rest of the issues have been stuck in Russian rhetoric and Kremlin's delaying tactics.
Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy for Ukraine, will negotiate with the Ukrainian counterpart from Kiev.