Amid rising tensions with Moscow, Trump said Witk off will visit Russia “I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday.” Trump also said two nuclear submarines he deployed following an online dispute with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were now “in the region,” though he did not clarify whether he meant nuclear-powered submarines or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the exact deployment locations, which are kept secret by the U.S. military. Witkoff’s last known visit to Russia was in April, when she met with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. Those talks did not result in an immediate breakthrough on ending the war in Ukraine. And since then, Trump's frustration with Putin has grown as the prospects for peace have dimmed.

When reporters asked Witkoff what his message to Moscow would be and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid sanctions, Trump replied: "Yes, make a deal so people stop dying."

Trump has previously threatened that new measures could involve "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's remaining trading partners, such as China and India. This would further stifle Russia but risk significant international disruption.

Despite pressure from Washington, Russia's offensive against Ukraine continues developing.

Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a cease-fire, said Friday that he wants peace, but that his demands for an end to their nearly 3 1/2-year-old invasion have not changed.

Among those demands is that Ukraine leave the territory and renounce its ambitions to join NATO.