Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are crucial figures at a critical time for the United States, as the ambassador posts to Moscow and Kyiv remain unoccupied. Witkoff, serving as a White House special envoy, has met seven times with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin since President Trump resumed office.
During the escalation of the Ukraine war, Witkoff and Kushner have directed their focus towards Iran, occupying their attention more than the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe. President Putin notes this distraction due to Iran, while Ukraine’s president expresses frustration, stating their country is not prioritized by the U.S., saying, “unfortunately, we are in this queue of these wars.”
Recent intensification of violence between Russia and Ukraine marks a dangerous phase since the start of Russia’s invasion over four years ago. Witkoff and Kushner stand as principal negotiators for the U.S. concerning Iran and Ukraine. They recently traveled to Qatar for new talks on Iran, even as hostilities continue between Russia and Ukraine, exemplified by Ukraine’s drone attacks on Moscow and Russia’s missile strikes on Kyiv, which resulted in 21 reported fatalities in overnight attacks.
The last recorded face-to-face meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials occurred in Switzerland in February, with Witkoff and Kushner mediating. Since then, the focus on the Iran situation has overshadowed the escalating Ukraine conflict, one that President Trump pledged to resolve swiftly.
“We were focused on Iran,”
said Trump recently, adding that the administration might revisit efforts to conclude the Ukraine war after dealing with Iran.
The narrow diplomatic resources under Trump’s leadership showcase his minimized strategy in handling significant diplomatic efforts. The ambassadorship to Moscow has been vacant for over a year, and Kyiv’s acting ambassador stepped down in April. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside other diplomats, have maintained a reduced presence in the Ukraine matter, positioning Witkoff and Kushner as central figures in U.S. diplomatic engagements.
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