Kyiv and Moscow increasingly question Steve Witkoff’s role — Kyiv Independent

Officials and insiders involved in the U.S.-mediated peace process in both Kyiv and Moscow are growing increasingly frustrated with U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff. Despite President Donald Trump's reluctance to remove him from negotiations, multiple secret initiatives are aimed at sidelining Witkoff and weakening his bond with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

Ukrainian officials questioned Witkoff's understanding of Russia's war and criticized Washington for offering few new ideas and little pressure on Moscow. Russian officials increasingly blamed Witkoff for diplomatic failures and for Washington's inability to pressure Ukraine into making concessions sought by the Kremlin, according to people briefed on Ukrainian intelligence.

The White House dismissed the Kyiv Independent's reporting as "fake news nonsense" and claimed that Trump and Witkoff were actively working to end the war. Witkoff, however, has faced persistent criticism from Ukrainians and Russians alike over his grasp of the war and diplomatic approach. Ukrainian officials expressed concerns about Witkoff's overly accommodating stance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that it is unlikely to persuade Moscow to make substantial concessions.

One critical incident involved Putin writing on a sheet of paper, indicating territorial demands, which Witkoff took back to Washington without a full understanding of the context. Witkoff later misunderstood another discussion with Putin due to relying on a Kremlin translator instead of a U.S. interpreter. These misunderstandings became evident after Trump's 2025 summit with Putin in Alaska.

While Ukrainian officials and some Ukrainian intelligence sources criticized Witkoff, Trump remained unwilling to replace him, despite concerns about the relationship between Witkoff and Dmitriev, which contributed to diplomatic setbacks. Despite the criticism, Witkoff remains a central figure in the U.S. diplomatic effort, recently meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy in both Moscow and Kyiv.