Steve Witkoff will fix peace in both Ukraine and Gaza
Right now, negotiations are underway in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyad for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine do not talk directly to each other, but it is the United States that holds parallel conversations with the two countries’ delegations.
The United States has sent several heavyweights to Riyad, such as national security adviser Mike Waltz and the head of political planning at the US Foreign Ministry Michael Anton. But perhaps the most important person in the contact between the Kremlin and the White House is Donald Trump’s old golf friend Steve Witkoff.
« It is a real estate guy that has known Trump for a long time, » says Jan Hallenberg, professor emeritus in political science and senior expert at the Foreign Policy Institute.
Before Donald Trump nominated him as envoy in the Middle East, Witkoff had no diplomatic experience at all.
Steve Witkoff was born in 1957 in the Bronx district in New York and would be trained as a lawyer. He began his career as a real estate lawyer and later started his own real estate company, which would prove to be successful. Today he is dollar billionaire according to Forbes.
And it was during a real estate deal almost 40 years ago that he would meet Donald Trump for the first time. After negotiations that went on late at night, the two would buy food. However, Trump had no money so Witkoff had to move in.
« I bought a cheese and ham for him, » said Witkoff when he testified in a trial where Trump was charged in 2023- and later fell- for business fraud.
Several years later they ran on each other again and Trump should then have remembered that Witkoff bought him a sandwich. Since then they have been friends, and above all they share an interest in golf.
Witkoff was even on the round that was canceled in conjunction with Sercret service personnel averted a murder attempt on the then presidential candidate.
When Trump presented his new cabinet after the election victory, Witkoff was given the assignment as the US envoy in the Middle East. The war between Israel and Hamas had been going on for over a year and Trump had promised peace.
– It shows how personalized American foreign policy is. Whoever Trump trusts gets the assignment. That they are not experts does not seem to matter, says Jan Hallenberg.
In January, there was a temporary ceasefire in Gaza. But when the first phase was over, no second, as it was intended.
-Witkoff does not seem to have any special insight into how the Hamas side works. It is a person who is pure amateur on diplomatic negotiations.
But Trump seemed satisfied with his old friend’s efforts. After Trump and Putin were spoken on the phone in February, the US president sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Russia. In addition to Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, CIA chief John Ratcliffe and national security adviser Michael Waltz included Steve Witkoff.
– Some real diplomat would never choose him. There are tens, if not hundreds, American experts in Russia. Then you choose a real estate man who knows very little about history and politics, says Hallenberg.
After the first meeting in Saudi Arabia, Witkoff’s relationship with Russia and the Kremlin seems to have been strengthened. He has traveled to Moscow on behalf of Trump and spoken to Putin. In one interview with former Fox News journalist Tucker Carlson he talks about his meetings with the Russian president.
– He’s a super smart guy. I don’t consider Putin as a villain, says Witkoff.
US mediates in the ongoing negotiations in Saudi Arabia about a ceasefire in Ukraine. Witkoff believes that the full -scale invasion may soon end.
– I feel he wants peace, says Witkoff about Vladimir Putin.
Jan Hallenberg is not as optimistic. He says Witkoff has a Russia perspective.
– The more central the man gets the man, the more bad it is.
