The administration in Washington is activating a new diplomatic track and involving people who have not previously been associated with international negotiations. CNN writes about this.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is promoting the idea of a peace agreement on Ukraine, using a team that is called unusual in diplomacy. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will fly to Moscow on Tuesday, where they are to meet with russian president vladimir putin.
Both were not confirmed by the Senate and do not have a classical diplomatic education, but Trump considers them the most effective mediators, capable, as he claims, "of closing the deal." The US reminds that it was Witkoff and Kushner who participated in the process that led to the truce between Israel and Hamas.
According to CNN, Trump's second term is characterized by reliance on personal channels instead of traditional institutions. Former Department of State officials say the President avoids bureaucracy and relies on a narrow circle of partners. At the same time, Witkoff's contacts with russian representatives have caused concern among allies, as some of the meetings took place without the participation of American advisers. Trump himself recalled that one of his conversations with putin lasted five hours instead of the planned twenty minutes.
Kushner quickly increased his influence in the negotiations, although he does not have a formal status. Sources claim that other leaders see him as a direct channel to Trump. He and Witkoff have already met with the Ukrainian delegation, but their contacts with russia have drawn additional criticism. In particular, in October they met in Miami with russian businessman Kirill Dmitriev, who is under sanctions.
After a series of consultations, a draft peace plan with 28 points emerged. It was sharply criticized in the US Congress and in European capitals as too favorable to the Kremlin. The White House said that Witkoff and Senator Marco Rubio worked on the document and that it was being finalized. Rubio, who led further negotiations in Geneva and Florida, said there was "significant progress," but Ukrainian sources stressed that there was no final decision.
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, whom Trump calls "his drone guy," is also involved in the process. He has worked with Ukrainian and russian representatives in various countries, but he is not being sent to Moscow.
Before the delegation's visit, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said that the administration was "extremely optimistic." According to her, the document has been significantly finalized, but the details remain with the negotiators.
The Ukrainian leadership considers Kushner's participation a sign that Washington considers an agreement possible, but emphasizes that the process is far from final. Marco Rubio also noted that "there are no signs that the Kremlin really wants peace," so the negotiations will be difficult.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on December 1, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov said that the Ukrainian delegation managed to achieve significant progress in negotiations with the American side in Florida (USA).
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