Witkoff heads to Russia amid building frustration in the White House, with six months of diplomacy under Trump having failed to achieve a peace deal -- or even a ceasefire -- to end Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor, which began in February 2022.

President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he may send US special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia in the middle of the following week. "I think next week Wednesday or Thursday [Witkoff] may be going to Russia,

U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Russia on Wednesday, state news agency TASS said on Monday, citing Russian and U.S. sources. Trump has set a deadline of Friday for Russia to agree to end the Ukraine war or face new sanctions.