Putin & Witkoff Meet in Moscow /Lt Col Daniel Davis & Larry Johnson

Daniel Davis Deep Dive Merch: Etsy store

Steve Witkoff made his fourth visit to Russia, meeting with Putin for three hours in hopes of progress before Trump’s August 8 deadline to decide on further tariffs and secondary sanctions aimed at pressuring Russia into an unconditional ceasefire. Initial Russian readouts sounded cautiously optimistic, hinting at possible concessions, such as a partial air-war ceasefire, but optimism faded after Trump announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports of Russian oil.

The move angered India, which called the action unfair and hypocritical given the EU’s ongoing large-scale trade with Russia, for which Trump has not imposed similar penalties. Analysts suggested Russia remains calm and firm, with Putin stressing the lack of tangible U.S. goodwill gestures—no ambassador, continued sanctions, property seizures, and military aid to Ukraine—while Russian forces advance rapidly on the battlefield. India’s retaliation risk and Trump’s selective targeting raised doubts about his ability to balance sanctions policy without alienating key partners, with some viewing the actions as political theater rather than a genuine strategy toward ending the war.