Ukraine war latest: 'Great progress was made!'— Putin, Witkoff conclude meeting in Moscow as Trump's sanctions deadline looms
Key developments on Aug. 6:
- 'Great progress was made!'— Putin, Witkoff conclude meeting in Moscow as Trump's sanctions deadline looms
- Trump signs order imposing additional 25% tariff on Indian imports over Russian oil ties to pressure Moscow into peace deal
- Zelensky, Trump hold call following Witkoff Moscow visit
- Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russian railway hub in Rostov Oblast for second night
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow on Aug. 6 for high-level talks as Trump's deadline for a Ukraine deal draws near.
The meeting concluded after roughly three hours, state news agency TASS reported with reference to the Kremlin, without providing details on the discussion.
The Russian leadership requested the meeting with Witkoff as it hoped to avoid new sanctions that Trump threatened to impose by Aug. 8 unless Moscow agreed to end the hostilities, undisclosed sources told CNN.
Witkoff's plane landed at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow earlier in the day, marking his fifth official visit to Russia during the full-scale war. After his talks with Putin, Witkoff left the Kremlin for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, RBK-Ukraine reported.
Before his audience with the Russian leader, the envoy met with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, who was previously tasked with facilitating dialogue with the Trump administration, Russian pro-government media outlet RBC reported.
"Dialogue will prevail," Dmitriev commented on the meeting between Witkoff and Putin, according to Russian media.
Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as "useful and constructive," saying it focused on the Russia-Ukraine war and prospects of a possible "strategic cooperation between the U.S. and Russia."
Trump signs order imposing additional 25% tariff on Indian imports over Russian oil ties to pressure Moscow into peace deal
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6 imposing a 25% tariff on imports from India in response to New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil, the White House said.
The move targets Russian oil sales that fuel Moscow's war economy and opens the door to similar tariffs on other countries that continue buying Russian oil, the White House said in a press release.
The previous 25% tariff, announced on July 31 and effective from Aug. 1, was also imposed in response to India's continued purchases of Russian energy and arms during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The new order, which takes effect in 21 days, states that India's ongoing direct or indirect import of Russian crude poses an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and foreign policy. The imposed tariffs aim to pressure Russia "toward a resolution that ends the conflict and saves lives".
"Articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent," the order reads.
The tariff will apply to goods imported for sale or use or withdrawn from warehouses after the deadline, with limited exceptions for goods already in transit.
"President Trump has been transparent that the Russian Federation would not be facing these actions if they were to 'get a deal where people stop getting killed,'" the press release says.
According to the order, the move builds on previous executive actions, including a 2022 ban on imports of Russian oil and petroleum products. That order expanded an earlier national emergency declared in 2021 related to harmful foreign activities by the Russian government.
Zelensky, Trump hold call following Witkoff Moscow visit
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call along with European leaders following a trip to Moscow by Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Zelensky said on Aug. 6.
"This conversation happened after President Trump's representative, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow," Zelensky wrote on X. He said European leaders also joined the call. "Our joint position with our partners is absolutely clear — the war must end. And it must be done honestly," Zelensky added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was one of the European leaders who joined the call, according to Sky News.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Witkoff on Aug. 6 for around three hours, according to Russian state media TASS.
The Kremlin did not disclose the contents of the meeting, but unnamed sources told CNN that Moscow had requested the talks in hopes of avoiding additional U.S. sanctions.
Trump earlier warned that unless Russia agreed to halt hostilities in Ukraine by Aug. 8, Washington would move forward with secondary tariffs, targeting countries that purchase Russian oil.
Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russian railway hub in Rostov Oblast for second night
Ukrainian drones targeted the Tatsinskaya railway station in Russia's Rostov Oblast overnight on Aug. 6, striking the hub for the second night in a row, Russian independent media outlet Astra reported.
The station, located roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Ukraine's border, serves as a logistics hub for Russian military operations. It is used to transport oil base products and load grain from a nearby elevator.
Loud explosions began around 1 a.m. local time, with residents of the Tatsinsky district reporting between five to seven blasts following the sound of drones overhead, according to the pro-government Telegram channel Shot.
Astra reported that a fire broke out at the crash site near the station, where freight tanks were present.
Rostov Oblast Governor Yuri Slyusar said air defenses repelled attacks in four districts. In one area, damage to power lines left nearly 200 residents of 87 homes without electricity.
Slyusar added that three families in the village of Tatsinskaya were evacuated due to a grass fire near their house. No casualties were reported.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 51 drones were shot down overnight across four Russian regions and occupied Crimea, including 16 over Rostov Oblast.
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