Republican senators are getting ready to leave Washington without advancing a major sanctions bill against Russia, giving President Trump sole discretion over whether to follow through on his threats against Russian President Vladimir Putin if he refuses to halt his war against Ukraine.

President Donald Trump said his foreign envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Russia in the coming days as the president calls for to an end to the conflict in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump has threatened Russian leader Vladimir Putin with sanctions if no agreement to end the war is reached by 8 August. Source: Trump during a briefing in the Oval Office Details: Commenting on the aftermath of the large-scale Russia strike on Kyiv on the night of 30-31 July,

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow hoped for more peace talks with Ukraine but that the momentum of the war was in its favour, signalling no shift in his stance despite a looming sanctions deadline from Washington.

The Russian president says Moscow's initial tough demands must be met, despite a looming US sanctions deadline.