FT finds out what outcome of Whitkoff's visit to Russia will "infuriate" Trump

Trump will be "furious" if his special envoy Steve Witkoff returns empty-handed after meetings with Russian leaders on August 6, an FT source says. The US president has promised to make a decision on sanctions after these talks Steve Witkoff

US President Donald Trump will be furious if his special envoy Steve Witkoff returns from Moscow after meetings with Russian leaders without results, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing a source close to the US presidential administration.

"It all depends on what Whitkoff brings back. If Whitkoff comes back with nothing, absolutely nothing, Trump will be pissed," he said.

Trump himself said that he would make a decision on new anti-Russian sanctions on August 6. His special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow. The Kremlin did not rule out that he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House had already announced that the American president would give a speech that evening, but the topic was not disclosed.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, meanwhile, told the FT that Russia's refusal to stop fighting in Ukraine would result in "tough sanctions " and Trump had made that clear. "We will not pre-empt the president on specifics," she said.

Trump has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress on Ukraine, and he has made claims against both Moscow and Kiev. In mid-July, the US president issued a 50-day ultimatum to RUSSIA, stating that if there is no progress in resolving the conflict, Washington will introduce secondary duties for buyers of Russian hydrocarbons. He did not name their exact size (it could be either 100% or 500%).

The ultimatum period was subsequently shortened to ten days, ending on August 8.

A source familiar with the discussions told The New York Post that the US imposing new sanctions on Russia is not the only possible scenario if the ultimatum expires and a ceasefire in Ukraine is not reached. Sanctions are not inevitable, as the US administration is “pushing hard for a deal,” an outcome that has always been preferable to the president, the source said.

Moscow calls the restrictions illegal. Russia has developed a "certain immunity " to sanctions, and ultimatums are unacceptable to it, the Kremlin emphasized. Trump himself also expressed the opinion that the new measures may not have an effect, since "they are quite successful in avoiding them."

Russian President Vladimir Putin , speaking about Trump's position, noted that "all disappointments arise from excessive expectations." "In order to approach the issue peacefully, we need to have detailed conversations. And not in public, but this needs to be done calmly, in the quiet of the negotiating process," he said. Putin assessed the negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul (three rounds have taken place since May) positively.

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