Steve Witkoff travels to Russia ahead of Trump’s Aug. 8 peace deadline

White House envoy Steve Witkoff is preparing for a trip to Russia on Wednesday, two days ahead of President Donald Trump’s Aug. 8 deadline for Moscow to enter into a ceasefire or face stiff sanctions.

But the escalated deadline, which Trump cut by nearly a month last week after first issuing Russian President Vladimir Putin a 50-day deadline in mid-July, has done little to curb the Kremlin’s violence in Ukraine. 

If a peace deal is not reached by Friday, Putin’s chief commodity will become the primary target as the U.S. will begin 100% sanctions on nations that purchase Russian oil in a move to dissuade them from fueling Russia’s economy, and by extension, its war chest.

Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, during an executive order signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 3, 2025. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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But even with the threat of possibly lower oil sales to nations like India and China, which are the world’s top purchasers of Russian oil, reports on Tuesday suggested that Witkoff’s last-ditch effort to talk peace with Putin is not expected to make much, if any, headway. 

A report by Reuters said that not only is little expected from Witkoff’s efforts, but Putin is also undeterred by Trump’s threat of secondary sanctions. 

Trump on Tuesday told CNBC that he planned to raise the current 25% tariffs on India “very substantially” within the next 24 hours. 

“They’re fueling the war machine, and if they’re going to do that, then I’m not going to be happy,” he said. 

Given that Trump has already said he plans to hit any nation that trades with Moscow with 100% secondary sanctions, it is unclear if he still plans to hit both India and China with trading fines this high.

Neither the White House nor the Treasury Department returned Fox News Digital’s questions regarding the unclear looming tariff rates. 

But India has pushed back on the tariffs, calling them “unjustified and unreasonable.”

President Donald Trump and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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In a statement on Monday, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, said following Russia’s invasion and subsequent Western boycotts of Russian oil, the U.S. allegedly encouraged India to import Russian gas “for strengthening global energy markets stability.”

But it is not just financial aid that India is accused of being involved in when it comes to Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

Ukraine on Tuesday said it had found “Indian-made components in Russian attack drones – including the Shahed/Geran models.”

“Russia must be denied access to foreign-made parts that enable these weapons and the killing of Ukrainians,” Andriy Yermak, presidential chief of staff, said on X.

These drones have infamously been used to not only hit military points along the front lines in Ukraine, but have routinely targeted Ukrainian civilians, including in a series of overnight strikes. 

“Last night, the Russians launched a ballistic missile and nearly 50 UAVs against Ukraine, most of them Russian-Iranian ‘shaheds,'” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. “Many drones were shot down by our defenders, but unfortunately, there were hits.”

Zelenskyy confirmed that one person was killed and 10 were injured, including two children, after 25 shahed drones pounded the city of Lozova in the Kharkiv region.

The Zaporizhzhia, Odesa and Sumy regions were also struck, and two others were apparently injured. 

Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, on Oct. 22, 2024. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters)

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“Once again, the Russian army is hunting civilians in an attempt to terrorize frontline cities and communities,” Zelenskyy said. 

Despite concerns that sanctions could have little effect on Putin’s war ambitions, Zelenskyy argued they could “contribute” to ending the war. 

“The world now sees that sanctions against Russia, and secondary sanctions against all those who help it profiteer from oil, can work if they are strong enough,” he said. “Therefore, pressure must be increased, and this will undoubtedly contribute to peace.”

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., or Witkoff’s team for comment.