Trump Envoy Steve Witkoff Heads to Russia for High-Stakes Diplomacy

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, is heading to Russia later this week for what could be a critical diplomatic mission, according to a source familiar with the matter. This marks his second visit since mid-February, when he had a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Witkoff’s earlier meeting with Putin focused on securing the release of detained American Marc Fogel. Following that, the Kremlin hinted at the possibility of another U.S.-Russia prisoner swap. Could this be the start of another geopolitical chess match? All eyes are on Moscow.

Meanwhile, Witkoff, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, is currently in Saudi Arabia for discussions with a senior Ukrainian delegation about ending the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. The Ukrainian team includes some of the country’s top officials, such as Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who has not only been a key negotiator but also survived a poisoning attempt during earlier peace talks with Russia. Talk about high-stakes survival skills.

Rubio emphasized the importance of establishing Ukraine’s intentions and their willingness to make tough decisions, including the potential concession of Russian-occupied territories. “The important point in this meeting is to establish clearly their intentions, their desire, as they've said publicly now, numerous times, to reach a point where peace is possible,” Rubio told reporters. While he remained tight-lipped about whether any mineral agreements would arise from these talks, he made it clear that peace was the primary focus.

This diplomacy marathon is happening against the backdrop of escalating tensions, including Ukraine’s largest drone attack on Moscow, which reportedly resulted in two fatalities. The timing couldn’t be more intense, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.