President Donald Trump is dispatching two of his highest-profile diplomats to Moscow as he pushes to end the war in Ukraine: his former business associate and his son-in-law, neither of whom has been confirmed by lawmakers in the Senate.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin today.
Trump’s latest efforts on Ukraine underscore his unconventional – and at times controversial – approach to diplomacy.
Trump has turned to a tight circle of business associates and trusted allies to try to solve some of the world’s most intractable conflicts — and they’ve had successes. Witkoff and Kushner were key brokers in the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which administration officials say is why they’ve been placed at the center of the negotiations to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Witkoff was appointed as special envoy for the Middle East, tasked with trying to bring an end to the war in Gaza. But his portfolio quickly grew to include efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Witkoff’s warm relationship with Moscow has stirred concern among some allies, particularly given his history of engaging with top Russian officials without the presence of experienced diplomats – or even, at times, US notetakers.
Kushner, who does not have an official US government role, re-emerged as a key figure in the administration’s diplomatic efforts as he and Witkoff negotiated a ceasefire plan for Gaza.
He has sat in the US delegation for two high-level meetings in as many weeks with Ukrainian officials.
Read more about Witkoff and Kushner’s role in war talks here.
