The visit is Witkoff's fifth to Moscow since Trump took office, with the special envoy at the forefront of White House efforts to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Wednesday on a last-minute mission to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war, two days before the expiry of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Russia to agree to peace or face new sanctions.

President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who had no diplomatic experience before joining the current administration, is seen as more sympathetic to Moscow than many other members of Trump’s team.