The Meeting Of The President Of Russia And The US Presidential Envoy Took Place Constructively

President Putin received the US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Kremlin. (Gavriil Grigorov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS)

JAKARTA - The meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with the United States Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday took place constructively, the Kremlin aide said.

The presidential press service said the two meetings lasted three hours at the Kremlin, as reported by TASS on August 6.

The meeting, which lasted about three hours, also involved the Russian Presidential Aide, Yuri Ushakov. Speaking to reporters, Ushakov said President Putin's meeting with Witkoff was useful and constructive.

"US President Steve Witkoff's Special Entrance has been accepted by our president this morning; they have had quite useful and constructive conversations," he said.

After the meeting, the convoy of US Special Envoys Witkoff immediately left the Kremlin after the meeting ended.

Witkoff arrived in Moscow at around 7 am local time on Wednesday. He was greeted by the Russian Presidential Special Envoy for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, as well as the head of Russia's Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev at Vnukovo-2 Airport.

Witkoff is known to have flown to Russia several times for talks. He came to St. Petersburg on April 11 before coming to Moscow on April 25.

In the two meetings, Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His arrival on Wednesday will be his fifth visit to the country since the beginning of the year.

US President Donald Trump said he could impose sanctions on Russia on August 9 if Ukraine's crisis resolution could not be reached by then.

However, he noted Russia had done a good job of dealing with sanctions. When asked if Russia could avoid sanctions from the current US Government, President Trump said it needed an agreement because then, people would stop dying.

Earlier, President Trump on July 14 said Uncle Sam's country would impose an entry fee of about 100 percent on Russia and its trading partners if Moscow and Washington did not reach an agreement on settlements in Ukraine within 50 days.

On July 29, President Trump said he had decided to cut the deadline for Russia to 10 days.

And on August 5, he noted that the US would later decide whether to wear import duties. According to him, the next US move will depend on the results of upcoming talks with the special envoy, Steven Witkoff, in Moscow.