US State Secretary signals imminent response as Witkoff meets Putin in Moscow

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signaled that new developments in Washington’s approach to Russia could be announced imminently, following high-level talks between US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Speaking to reporters after the Kremlin meeting, Rubio confirmed that he had spoken with Witkoff and suggested the administration would make "some announcements" later in the day — "maybe positive, maybe not," he added, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

A Kremlin-released video showed Putin greeting Witkoff with a warm handshake, marking the fifth meeting between the two men this year. According to Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov, the talks were "useful" and "constructive," and touched on the ongoing war in Ukraine and prospects for "possible strategic cooperation" between Washington and Moscow.

Ushakov noted that both sides had exchanged "signals" on the "Ukraine issue," though he provided no specifics on the content or direction of those discussions.

The diplomatic engagement comes amid mounting frustration from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with Putin’s refusal to halt attacks on Ukrainian cities, despite months of US-led peace overtures.

Trump, who returned to office pledging to end the Ukraine war within “24 hours” by leveraging his personal rapport with Putin, now appears to be running out of patience.

On the same day, Trump unveiled a dramatic shift in US policy, announcing a deal for NATO allies to purchase American-made weapons and send them to Ukraine. He also imposed a 50-day deadline for Russia to end the war, threatening “severe” new economic penalties, including "secondary tariffs" on countries that continue purchasing Russian goods.

The ultimatum has since narrowed. Last week, Trump shortened the deadline to “10 or 12 days,” and a final deadline is now set for Friday.

Asked if there was any off-ramp left for Russia, Trump was blunt: “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.”

Still, the president acknowledged the challenge ahead. “You know, they're wily characters and they're pretty good at avoiding sanctions,” Trump said.

By Vafa Guliyeva