The US president has given Moscow until August 8 to end the conflict, but says he doubts this will change Putin’s behaviour

US President Donald Trump said special envoy Steve Witkoff would be headed to Russia after wrapping up a visit to Israel ahead of a new deadline for Moscow to halt its fight with Ukraine.

“Yeah, going to Israel and then he’s going to Russia, believe it or not,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

Trump also said he expected to impose sanctions once a new deadline he set earlier this week expires, but did not foresee that it would alter Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behaviour.

“We have about eight days, so yeah, we’re going to put sanctions. I don’t know that sanctions bother him,” he said.