Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, expressed optimism about potential collaboration with Russian President Vladimir Putin to resolve Europe's most lethal conflict since World War II. Today, these conversations center around the Ukrainian territory that has already been annexed or occupied by Russian forces. This moment is delicate, yet extremely crucial in the long-running battle to attain peace. Witkoff pictured with Putin earlier this month in Moscow. He hopes that through open, honest dialogue the root causes of the conflict can be dealt with.
At their most recent meeting, Witkoff and Putin continued with what he called a very candid and constructive conversation. Major issues were energy and the geopolitical importance of Crimea, to which Witkoff asserted that Russia has locked Crimea down to its liking. Unsurprisingly, McFaul continued by saying that Russia has no intention of annexing all of Ukraine.
Witkoff’s comments have caused a firestorm, especially his laudatory comments regarding Putin. He stated, "I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy … He’s super smart," reflecting a sentiment that aligns closely with Kremlin perspectives. This position has come under fire from both sides who see it as too conciliatory to Russian aims.
The envoy further rebutted the argument that Russian-speaking areas in Ukraine have indicated a desire to return under Russian rule via referenda. Witkoff noted that the majority of the people are russian speaking. He claimed that there have been referendums demonstrating that a clear majority overwhelmingly support going under “Russian administration.” All of these polls are deeply discredited and the mixing up of language with political loyalty has been rebutted.
Yet for all these provocative opinions, Witkoff is fundamentally an optimist who believes in the possibility of peace. He concluded by reiterating the need to stop the killings. He continued fervently, “That’s an academic issue … The agenda is to end the killing and end the carnage. Let’s stop this thing.”
Witkoff seemed to adopt the Kremlin line on Crimea, claiming that Russia has reached its goals in the region. He downplayed concerns that Russia was potentially seeking to expand further into Europe. He concluded, “I simply don’t believe that he desires to take all of Europe.” He spoke out forcefully against making comparisons to past aggressors.
Beyond diplomacy, the envoy’s face-to-face encounter with Putin was significant for its personal touches. Witkoff divulged that Putin’s Kremlin had commissioned a beautiful portrait of former President Donald Trump. A huge rising sun by a famous Russian artist, Witkoff’s mission became to get it into Trump’s hands. I went back home and delivered that very message to our president. When I finally showed him the painting, his appreciation and emotion were evident. As Witkoff reminisced.
His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has repeatedly said that the US-Russia dialogue must include talks about the possible restoration of the 2022 Black Sea grain agreement. This issue has become ground zero for their negotiations with the US. Peskov acknowledges that "We are only at the beginning of this path," underscoring the nascent stage of these negotiations.
Witkoff is hopeful for once again fruitful discussions in Saudi Arabia. He hopes it will further their efforts to bring about a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea. He promised that on Monday we’ll see tangible changes heralded by Saudi Arabia. This will have particular consequences for the Black Sea ceasefire related to vessels flying the flags of the two countries.