(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering reducing the involvement of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe potentially assuming a leading role in diplomatic contacts.
According to the Financial Times, citing five informed sources, US officials close to Ratcliffe have already informed their European counterparts that he is preparing to become more actively involved in shuttle diplomacy. The CIA director would continue contacts with representatives of the intelligence services of Ukraine and Russia.
Trump has not yet made a final decision. The White House and the CIA declined to comment on possible changes to the negotiating team.
Witkoff has already visited Moscow eight times, as well as Kyiv. His latest visit to Russia together with Kushner also failed to produce any notable progress in the negotiations.
According to the Financial Times, European capitals reacted positively to the possibility of changing the US negotiating team after a prolonged period of fruitless contacts with Moscow. Sources report rivalry between Ratcliffe and Witkoff over the leading role in the negotiations. The possibility of personnel changes in Washington began to be considered after the failure of the previous attempt to reach agreements at the end of February, but the process was suspended because of the war with Iran.
In a related development, Trump commented on a possible trilateral meeting with the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying: “It could happen; we had a good conversation.”
Separately, the Institute for the Study of War has reported that Putin distorted the situation on the front for Trump in order to pressure Ukraine.
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