Moscow announces Trump's special envoy Witkoff visit this week

Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for the Middle East, is set to visit Russia this week.

"We are expecting him," Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin, said in a comment to Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency Interfax, when asked whether Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow this week.

Overall, Witkoff has been to Russia three times and has met with Putin as part of US efforts to resolve Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

His next official visit to Russia will take place ahead of a meeting in London on 23 April at which the US, Ukraine and its European allies will discuss steps to bring about a ceasefire in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Americans presented their peace proposals to the Ukrainian delegation last week in Paris. They are expecting Ukraine to provide a response at the upcoming meeting in London.

According to the WSJ, the US proposals include potential recognition of the 2014 annexation of Crimea and a rejection of Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations.