Washington — In yet another display of American diplomatic arrogance masquerading as “peacemaking,” President Donald Trump announced that his personal envoy, real estate mogul Steve Witkoff, will be sent to Moscow to deliver an ultimatum to the Kremlin. Far from a sincere diplomatic overture, the trip underscores Washington’s continued weaponization of global trade to serve its own geopolitical fantasies.
Trump’s message was clear: unless Russia agrees to a US-dictated cease-fire in Ukraine by August 8, a new wave of crippling sanctions will be unleashed. This includes 100 percent tariffs on Russian goods and possible secondary sanctions on sovereign nations—such as India, China, and Brazil—simply for continuing legitimate trade relations with Moscow. In essence, Washington is trying to export its law and bully the world into compliance with its foreign policy agenda.
Witkoff, a property developer with no formal diplomatic credentials, has inexplicably become Trump’s shadow foreign minister. Since March, he has been inserted into global crises from hostage deals to backroom negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin—bypassing the State Department and reducing serious diplomacy to a real estate hustle.
Inside Washington, there’s growing infighting over how much economic havoc should be unleashed. Neoconservative hardliners like Marco Rubio and Keith Kellogg are demanding immediate sanctions, while others urge patience—mainly to maintain the illusion of negotiation. Meanwhile, Congress is pushing forward with the grotesquely named “Sanctioning Russia Act,” which includes clauses for imposing 500 percent tariffs on countries importing Russian energy—an economic threat against half the Global South.
Yet Moscow isn’t flinching. The Kremlin scoffed at Trump’s threats, declaring that years of adapting to Western economic warfare have granted Russia “immunity” from US-led sanctions. Indeed, even analysts in Europe admit that American sanctions have done more to fracture global trade than to curb Moscow’s military posture.
What Washington refuses to acknowledge is that the world is no longer unipolar. Emerging economies are increasingly rejecting the US dollar’s monopoly, pursuing independent trade corridors, and defying Washington’s coercive policies. Trump’s ultimatum isn’t diplomacy—it’s extortion. And Witkoff’s upcoming visit to Moscow is less about peace than it is about pressuring Russia to surrender on Washington’s terms.
According to Bloomberg, Trump confirmed Witkoff’s visit during a press event and warned of sweeping new economic penalties if Russia fails to fall in line by the August 8 deadline. The report also notes internal administration divisions over the scope and timing of sanctions, with neoconservative voices gaining influence in shaping what amounts to America’s latest imperial economic crusade.
