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Next week, representatives from the US and Russia will continue talks on an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Who will be at the table – and what experience do the negotiators bring? An overview.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff
When the real estate investor was appointed US Special Envoy for the Middle East by President Donald Trump last November, he came literally out of nowhere for the foreign policy establishment - Witkoff had no prior diplomatic experience, but he knew Trump from the real estate business and from playing golf.
It was equally surprising that Trump soon involved Witkoff in efforts to end hostilities in Ukraine—even though he had already appointed Keith Kellogg as his special envoy for Russia and Ukraine. Kellogg no longer plays a role in the recent talks. Witkoff is convinced that his purely business-like approach makes him the ideal negotiator.
Since then, Witkoff has primarily attracted attention for his strong sympathy for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He adopts Russian narratives uncritically. He shows no qualms about advising the Russian side on how to deal with Trump, as recently leaked phone transcripts reveal. This has not changed Trump's trust in Witkoff. Many experts consider the 28-point plan, which Witkoff is said to have helped draft, to be a reiteration of Russian demands.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio is involved in the negotiations for an agreement ex officio as Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence to suggest that Rubio was not involved in the initial stages, as the first draft does not reflect his position. Rubio is considered a classic"hawk," someone who distrusts Russia.
Rubio denies reports that he told several senators the 28-point plan did not originate in the US. Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt says the plan was jointly developed by Witkoff and Rubio.
Even though Rubio defended Trump's push for a swift end to the war in Ukraine in recent months, he also tried to pick up the pieces left behind by Trump, Witkoff, and US Vice President Vance in their rapprochement with Putin and their dealings with Ukraine. And as a transatlanticist, he endeavored to consider the interests of the Europeans, at least in part.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner
The husband of Trump's daughter Ivanka was Trump's chief advisor during his first term – qualified primarily through family ties and his involvement in Trump's campaign team. The financial investor was tasked by Trump, among other things, with resolving the Middle East conflict. Kushner is considered one of the architects of the so-called Abraham Accords, through which Israel and a number of Arab states normalized their relations starting in 2020. Before Trump's return to the White House, the Kushners declared they would no longer seek a political office. Nevertheless, Kushner remains active. He worked with Witkoff on the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and was also involved in drafting the 28-point plan for Ukraine. At the end of October, he is said to have been present when Witkoff met with Putin confidant Kirill Dmitriev in Miami. He was also part of the US delegation at the talks in Geneva. The fact that his father-in-law listens to his ideas should once again give him considerable influence.
US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll
After finishing high school, Daniel Driscoll served in the U.S. Army for several years and studied business administration and law. Last year, he was part of Trump's campaign team. His friendship with Vance, which dates back to their time together at Yale, likely played a role in this. After the election, he became the youngest Deputy Secretary of Defense in U.S. history.
Driscoll was originally supposed to hold talks with Ukraine about acquiring drones. However, in the middle of last week, the focus in Kyiv shifted to the 28-point plan. Driscoll also appeared at subsequent talks.
His meteoric rise has sparked speculation about his role and future career. Some observers see him as Vance's right-hand man and Rubio's rival. Others already see him as a future defense minister.
Russia's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev
Kirill Dmitriev knows the USA well: He first came to the United States as a high school student in 1989 and then stayed to study economics, including at the elite universities Stanford and Harvard. Afterwards, he initially worked in the USA as a management consultant and investment banker.
In the early 2000s, he returned to Russia and in 2011 became head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which was intended to reduce Russia's dependence on raw materials. This placed him firmly within the inner circle of the Russian leadership. His relationship with Putin is described as one of trust. The close friendship between his wife and Putin's younger daughter may play a role in this.
Dmitriev shares Putin's worldview and justifies the attack on Ukraine as a form of self-defense. At the beginning of the year, Putin appointed him Special Envoy for Economic Cooperation and Investment. Since then, Dmitriev has regularly appeared at talks with Vitkov about ending the war. As an economic expert, Dmitriev knows how to reach Vitkov and, consequently, Trump.
Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov
Unlike Dmitriev, Yuri Ushakov represents the classic Russian foreign policy establishment. For ten years, Ushakov was ambassador to the United States. At that time, he didn't hate the West, recalls Tony Gati, who was a member of the National Security Council during Bill Clinton's presidency, in Politico.
Back in Moscow, Ushakov's view of the US became increasingly bleak, and he accused the US of hating Russia. Since 2012, he has been Putin's foreign policy advisor and acts entirely in accordance with Putin's hard line – which includes misleading the international community. Just prior to this, he had dismissed warnings of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine as"hysteria."
Nevertheless, Ushakov appears to have gained Steve Witkoff's trust, as the recording of the telephone conversation from October 14th shows. However, the 78-year-old has little time for the Europeans. He dismissed their counter-proposals to the 28-point plan with the remark that they were"not constructive" and did not suit Russia.
