To avoid new sanctions, Putin may try to buy time and ‘throw a bone’ to Trump, analyst says

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is likely to seek concessions and stall for time to avoid U.S. sanctions, an analyst told Reuters on Wednesday (August 6).

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US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin ahead of Trump's deadline for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine.
Trump warned of sanctions and tariffs on nations buying Russian exports due to stalled peace efforts.
Russia may propose a temporary halt to air strikes, offering limited relief but falling short of a full ceasefire.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Wednesday, 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.

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

Putin is "buying time," Associate Fellow at Chatham House, Timothy Ash, said. "He wants to avoid anything that would see more sanctions levied on him."

Bloomberg and independent Russian news outlet The Bell reported that the Kremlin might propose a moratorium on air strikes by Russia and Ukraine - an idea that was mentioned last week by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting with Putin.

Such a move, if agreed, would fall well short of the full and immediate ceasefire that Ukraine and the U.S. have been seeking for months. But it would offer some relief to both sides.