War in Ukraine: Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, expected in Russia this week

Donald Trump 's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected in Russia midweek, just days before the expiration of the ultimatum set by the American president to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine.

His visit will take place "I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday," the American president told reporters on Sunday evening.

Nuclear submarines "in the region"

Donald Trump also said that two nuclear submarines he ordered deployed following an online spat with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were now "in the region," without specifying which ones. He also did not specify whether they were nuclear-powered submarines or submarines equipped with nuclear warheads.

This show of force comes as Donald Trump last week gave Russia ten days, until next Friday, to end the war in Ukraine, or face new, unspecified sanctions.

The Russian president has already met with Steve Witkoff several times in Moscow, but Donald Trump's efforts to reestablish dialogue with the Kremlin have borne no fruit. The Republican billionaire, who began his second term boasting that he could end the war in Ukraine within days, is now increasingly openly expressing his frustration with Vladimir Putin.

Asked by reporters what Steve Witkoff's message to Moscow would be and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid sanctions, Trump replied: "Yes, make a deal so people stop being killed."

The Russian offensive continues

Donald Trump has threatened to impose "secondary tariffs" on countries that continue to trade with Russia, such as China and India. Despite pressure from Washington, Russia's offensive against its pro-Western neighbor continues unabated.

A man was killed and two women injured this Monday morning during Russian bombings in the Ukrainian region of Kherson (south), according to military authorities.

In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, four towns in the Nikopol district were targeted by drone strikes and artillery fire, injuring three people, according to regional military official Sergei Lysak.

The latter specified that the victims were a four-month-old baby, in serious condition, and two women aged 40 and 46. For its part, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported 61 interceptions of Ukrainian drones during the night from Sunday to Monday.