Some Russian commentators are seeking to sow discord in the Trump administration, possibly as part of a broader effort to avoid US sanctions ahead of Trump’s August 8 deadline for peace efforts in Ukraine.
Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets have hyped comments by Russian State Duma deputies, portraying Witkoff as a rational participant in US-Russia negotiations and Trump as irrational.
Russian State Duma deputy Grigory Karasin said on August 4 that he hoped the results of Witkoff’s meeting with Putin would be "concrete, not emotional, like Trump’s recent statements", and Russian media have hyped Karasin’s comments in his reports on the meeting between Witkoff and Trump on August 6.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Alexei Chepa, said on August 6 that Trump had sent Witkoff to "de-escalate tensions" following Trump's recent "ultimatums" that Russia must end the war or face U.S. sanctions.
Chepa did not fail to state that this de-escalation could negatively affect the image of the Trump administration.
Alexander "Sasha" Kots, a Russian military blogger who is also a member of the Kremlin's Human Rights Council, accused Trump of "giving" daily ultimatums, and suggested that Witkoff would bring Trump a proposal that Trump would "take as a small victory".
The Kremlin has often tried to sow discord between Ukraine and its allies, as well as between the United States and Europe, as part of a broader effort to discourage support for Ukraine.
The Kremlin appears to be using similar information tactics against the Trump administration to undermine ongoing U.S. efforts to force Putin to engage in meaningful negotiations to end the war.
The Kremlin is also likely seeking to extract unilateral concessions from the U.S. regarding the war, including promoting U.S.-Russia economic deals in favor of Russia, without Trump's stated preconditions for a ceasefire and talks for a lasting peace.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff in Moscow on 6 August, but the specific results of the meeting remain unclear.
Trump may meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the coming weeks.
Russian authorities and media continue to present an image of a strong and resilient Russian economy in anticipation of further US sanctions.