Online Desk : US President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Russia next week amid mounting tensions with Moscow and an impending US sanctions deadline related to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters, Trump added that two nuclear submarines have been deployed to “the region” following a recent online exchange with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. He did not clarify whether the submarines were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, nor did he disclose their precise locations, which are classified by the U.S. military.

The heightened military posture coincides with a deadline set by Trump for Russia to take concrete steps toward ending the Ukraine conflict or face new, unspecified sanctions. The deadline expires at the end of the coming week.

When asked about the purpose of Witkoff`s mission and whether there was still an opportunity for Russia to avoid sanctions, Trump responded bluntly: “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.”

Witkoff is expected in Moscow around Wednesday or Thursday. He has met Russian President Vladimir Putin on multiple occasions in the past, during earlier efforts by the Trump administration to improve U.S.-Russia relations — efforts that have since stalled amid escalating hostilities in Ukraine.

Trump has previously warned that the looming sanctions could include "secondary tariffs" aimed at Russia’s remaining trade allies, notably China and India. While such a move would further isolate Moscow economically, it could also lead to widespread global trade disruption.

Putin, meanwhile, continues to reject Western calls for a ceasefire. Speaking on Friday, he reiterated that his demands for ending the war remain unchanged. These include Ukraine ceding territory and formally abandoning its aspirations to join NATO.

The war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, is now in its fourth year. Trump, now in his second term, had previously expressed optimism that the conflict would be quickly resolved. However, recent weeks have seen a shift in tone, with Trump increasingly vocal about his frustrations over Russia’s ongoing offensive.

Despite growing international pressure and U.S. threats of further isolation, Russia has shown no signs of de-escalating the conflict.