Trump has secretly tasked Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who secured release of imprisoned U.S. teacher, with negotiating to end war in Ukraine — NYT

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East appointed by Donald Trump, has been working on negotiating an agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

According to the newspaper’s sources, Witkoff’s mission in Russia extends beyond securing the release of U.S. schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who returned to the U.S. on Witkoff’s plane on Tuesday. Several weeks ago, Trump secretly expanded Witkoff’s mandate beyond Middle East affairs, tasking him with establish a negotiating channel with Russia and explore options for a peaceful resolution of the war.

The NYT notes that Trump trusts Witkoff, whom he’s been friends with since the 1980s, and believes he has the necessary negotiation skills needed to help end the war in Ukraine.

It remains unclear what specific powers Witkoff has been granted and how they differ from those of Keith Kellogg, the official U.S. special envoy for Russia and Ukraine.

Before his visit to Moscow on February 11, Witkoff held talks with multiple close allies of Vladimir Putin and also discussed Ukraine with individuals in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the NYT reported.