Witkoff's negotiation approach with Putin sparks concern in White House, NYP reports

U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is causing concern within the White House over his unconventional approach to high-stakes diplomacy with Russia and Iran, the New York Post reported on April 30, citing unnamed sources.

Witkoff, who has emerged as Trump's de facto personal envoy to Russian President Vladimir Putin and concurrently handles Middle East affairs, has participated in solo meetings with foreign leaders, bypassing typical diplomatic protocol, according to the report.

According to New York Post sources, Witkoff has even used Kremlin translators during discussions with Putin — a breach of standard U.S. diplomatic practice.

Another source described Witkoff as a "nice guy, but a bumbling f***ing idiot," adding: "He should not be doing this alone."

Ahead of his April 25 meeting with Putin, Witkoff greeted the Russian president informally and without the customary entourage of advisers, military officials, or experts that typically accompany senior U.S. negotiators.

In contrast, Putin was joined by his aide Yuri Ushakov and Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev.

Witkoff's posture has alarmed officials because he frequently echoes Putin's narratives while reportedly lacking a clear understanding of Ukraine's position. The role of special envoy for Ukraine remains assigned to Keith Kellogg.

Following an April 11 meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, Witkoff said discussions focused on a potential peace deal concerning "five territories."

Though he did not name them explicitly, he appeared to reference Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and the partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, which Moscow claimed in 2022.

"I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very important for the world at large," Witkoff said in an April 14 interview with Fox News.

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Beyond his role in the Ukraine-Russia negotiations, Witkoff has also been tasked with brokering Middle East ceasefires and revisiting the Iran nuclear deal.

He helped secure a two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began shortly before Trump's inauguration but was not extended. However, his limited diplomatic background has sparked doubts about his capacity to handle complex international negotiations.

"Steve Witkoff is simply someone Trump trusts," Alexandra Filippenko, a U.S.-Russia relations expert, told the Kyiv Independent. She noted their relationship dates back to the 1980s Manhattan real estate scene. "Trump values that kind of loyalty," she said.

Filippenko emphasized that Witkoff's prominent role in such sensitive negotiations, despite operating outside the State Department, remains "an unusual arrangement."

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