Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, landed in Moscow early on Wednesday for talks over the Russian war in Ukraine, as Washington presses the Kremlin to agree to a deal to stop fighting before the US president’s Friday deadline or face new sanctions.

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.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet with Russian leadership Wednesday, ahead of President Trump’s deadline for Russia to reach a deal in its war against Ukraine or face steeper sanctions.