Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to bow to a sanctions ultimatum expiring this Friday from U.S. President Donald Trump, and retains the goal of capturing four regions of Ukraine in their entirety,

Steve Witkoff is visiting Moscow this week - is it a sign that an agreement between Russia and the US to end the fighting in Ukraine could yet be reached?

The Kremlin is actively dragging out the prospect of negotiations with Kyiv, the publication highlighted. On Aug. 4, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin “does not rule out this meeting” [with Zelenskyy],

Vladimir Putin started it. Joe Biden didn’t stop it. But, no matter his efforts to the contrary, this is the week in which Russia’s invasion of Ukraine becomes US President Donald Trump’s war.

Previous Trump promises, threats and cajoling have failed to yield results., and the stubborn diplomatic stalemate will be hard to clear away. Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more territory on the front line, although there is no sign of a looming collapse of its defenses.