US envoy holds 'useful' talks with Putin in last-minute mission on Ukraine

US envoy Steve Witkoff held "useful and constructive" talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug 6, a Kremlin aide said, two days before the expiry of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions.

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MOSCOW - US envoy Steve Witkoff held "useful and constructive" talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug 6, a Kremlin aide said, two days before the expiry of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions.

Mr Witkoff met Mr Putin for around three hours on a last-minute mission to seek a breakthrough in the 3 1/2-year-old war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said the two sides had exchanged "signals" on the Ukraine issue and discussed the possibility of developing strategic cooperation between Moscow and Washington, but declined to give more details until Mr Witkoff had reported back to Mr Trump.

Russian investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who earlier greeted Mr Witkoff on arrival and strolled with him in a park near the Kremlin, posted on social media: "Dialogue will prevail."

There was no immediate comment from the US side.

Mr Trump, increasingly frustrated with Mr Putin over the lack of progress towards peace, has threatened to impose heavy tariffs on countries that buy Russian exports.

He is exerting particular pressure on India, which along with China is a huge buyer of Russian oil.

The Kremlin says threats to penalise countries that trade with Russia are illegal.

It was not clear what Russia might offer to Mr Witkoff in order to stave off Mr Trump's threat.