Trump says decision on Russian oil sanctions will come after meeting on Wednesday

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (August 5) he will make a decision on whether to sanction countries who purchase Russian oil after a meeting with Russian officials scheduled for Wednesday.

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Trump says sanctions on Russia depend on progress in Ukraine peace talks by Friday (Aug 7).
US envoy Steve Witkoff is in Moscow for meetings with Russian officials.
Details of the envoys visit are limited but tensions between Trump and Putin are rising.

"Well, I never set a percentage, but we'll be doing quite a bit of that. We'll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time. But we'll, we'll see what happens. I know they have a meeting tomorrow. We have a meeting with Russia tomorrow. We're going to see what happens. We'll make that determination at that time,'' Trump said.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff will be in Moscow on Wednesday (August 6) to meet with Russian leadership, a source familiar with the plan said on Tuesday.

Officials in Washington provided few details of Witkoff's schedule.

Russia's state-run TASS news agency, quoting aviation sources, said an aircraft believed to have Witkoff on board, had already left the United States.

Trump, who has signaled frustration with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, has given him until this Friday to make progress toward peace in Ukraine or face tougher sanctions.