Trump's secret envoy mission: Freeing Americans and peace talks
U.S. President Donald Trump secretly instructed his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to support the negotiation process with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, reports "The New York Times," citing sources.
This information surfaced after Witkoff's visit to Moscow, where the Russian side handed over American citizen Mark Fogel to him. Fogel was previously sentenced in Russia to 14 years in prison.
Trump trusts his envoy
According to NYT sources, Trump secretly authorized Witkoff several weeks ago to "expand his portfolio beyond the Middle East" to initiate dialogue with Russian representatives. Trump trusts Witkoff because they have been friends since the 1980s and is convinced that Witkoff has the necessary diplomatic skills to help end the conflict in Ukraine, notes the newspaper.
Simultaneously, as the newspaper's sources claim, even before his trip to Moscow, Witkoff conducted a series of discussions with people close to Vladimir Putin. He also discussed possible ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis with his contacts in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Gulf countries have long expressed their readiness to act as mediators in peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, emphasizes NYT.
Exchange between the U.S. and Russia
The newspaper also writes that it remains unclear whether there has been any direct conversation between Trump and Putin. Official representatives of both sides do not confirm such contact, but several high-ranking members of the Trump administration, who would typically be informed of such a call, stated that they have no information on this matter.
Witkoff left Russia with the released Mark Fogel on the evening of February 11. The U.S. administration emphasized that it sees this step as an act of "goodwill" by Russia and a positive signal for a possible peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.
Former diplomat Mark Fogel was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow in 2021 while attempting to bring 0.4 ounces of marijuana and 0.3 ounces of hash oil into Russia. According to Fogel, he used these substances for medical purposes after spinal surgery, as confirmed by the appropriate entries in his medical records. In 2022, a Russian court sentenced him to 14 years in prison.
