Steve Witkoff spent three hours behind closed doors with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday — and walked away empty-handed. No movement on Ukraine. No sign of a ceasefire. No diplomatic win for Donald Trump.
The Kremlin spun it as a “constructive and useful” exchange — diplomatic code for absolutely no progress. The meeting ended just before Trump’s final deadline for sanctions, and Putin didn’t offer a single concession.
❌ No Breakthrough, Just More Bombs
Trump had hoped the meeting would deliver at least a glimmer of momentum toward peace. Instead, the situation in Ukraine has only worsened. Since Witkoff’s last visit to Moscow in April, Russian missile and drone strikes have escalated significantly.
Russian media outlets like TASS and RIA Novosti vaguely claimed that “signals were exchanged” — but provided no specifics. No outcomes, no commitments, no roadmap. Even the promise of future updates hinges on Witkoff’s debrief with Trump — more Kremlin deflection.
Witkoff arrived in Moscow greeted by Russia’s investment official Kirill Dmitriev, and state cameras captured the handshake with Putin — likely the only tangible moment from the whole trip.
😡 Trump Runs Out of Patience
Trump, who has been warning Russia since early July, is reportedly furious. He’d promised fresh sanctions if there was no diplomatic progress. Now, those sanctions are landing — but not just on Russia.
Behind closed doors, Trump has allegedly described Putin’s excuses on Ukraine as “total bulls**t” and condemned the ongoing missile barrages as “disgusting.” Despite his tough rhetoric, Putin appears unfazed — sticking to his usual playbook of stall tactics and strategic silence.
🇮🇳 Trump Retaliates — Targets India Instead
Just hours after the failed Moscow summit, Trump pivoted — and hit India with a 25% tariff on all imports, doubling some categories to a staggering 50% total rate.
Why? India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
An executive order from the White House spelled it out:
“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil. Accordingly... articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent.”
Trump had warned India about this for days — promising not just tariffs, but a separate “penalty” if they didn’t cut ties with Russian energy exports. That mystery penalty? Now revealed as a full-blown trade offensive.
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box Tuesday, Trump didn’t hold back:
“They’re buying Russian oil. They’re fueling the war machine... and if they’re going to do that, then I’m not going to be happy.”
📉 US-India Trade Deal Collapses
Just weeks ago, Washington and New Delhi were reportedly close to finalizing a new trade agreement. Talks were promising. Headlines painted a hopeful picture.
Now that deal is officially dead.
The downfall was rapid. On July 30, Trump accused China of indirectly supporting Putin’s war, and days later, India doubled down — publicly defending its oil imports from Russia. That statement appears to have sealed the fate of the negotiations.
🧨 A New Front in Trump’s Economic War
India now finds itself in the crosshairs of Trump’s expanding trade conflict — a move that’s as much political as it is economic. With Putin ignoring diplomatic pressure, Trump is turning up the heat on those who support him financially.
Whether this pressure campaign works remains to be seen. Historically, Putin has shown no signs of backing down. He waits. He wears down.
But now, Trump’s message is clear: if you back Putin, you’ll pay the price.
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