Donald Trump has stated that his primary negotiator for Ukraine peace talks possessed limited knowledge of Russia prior to his appointment to mediate an end to the ongoing conflict. The US president made these remarks during a Hanukkah celebration speech at the White House, as American and Ukrainian delegations concluded another round of discussions in Europe aimed at resolving the war.

Trump specifically praised his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff for their earlier work on facilitating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. He then highlighted Witkoff’s transition to leading negotiations concerning Ukraine, acknowledging his background.

“Steve’s a great dealmaker,” Trump commented, referring to Witkoff’s previous career in New York real estate. “He knew less about rivers and metes and bounds and Russia and the various places he’s working on. He knew nothing about it,” the president admitted.

Despite Witkoff’s apparent lack of specific geopolitical expertise, Trump emphasized his interpersonal skills. “I recognised – for 20 years I’ve been dealing with everybody in New York – I said, ‘Steve has the best personality’… I said, ‘Everybody loves Steve. He’s a great dealmaker, but everybody loves him.’ And that’s what he turned out to be.”

Witkoff, a developer with no prior diplomatic experience, was appointed as Trump’s special envoy for Middle East peace missions in June. His role later expanded to include leading de facto negotiations with Russia regarding the Ukraine war, following his involvement in the October ceasefire in Gaza.

Earlier this year, officials familiar with the negotiations reportedly told Politico that Witkoff viewed the conflict through a “real estate lens, like a land dispute.” This perspective has drawn criticism from various officials in the US, Ukraine, and Europe due to his alleged refusal to consult with subject matter experts.

Washington and Kyiv have been engaged in intermittent peace talks for several months. A recent focus has been on modifying a 28-point proposal drafted by the US, which has been perceived by some as favoring Russia’s interests. Both delegations expressed optimism following their recent meetings in Berlin.

However, territorial concessions remain a significant obstacle to a lasting peace agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that the revised plan, while potentially “workable,” is still in its “first draft” stages, with numerous challenges yet to be overcome. Zelensky has consistently maintained that ceding territory to Russia is not an option, as it is constitutionally prohibited.

Sources also indicated to AFP news agency that the American delegation continued to press Ukraine to relinquish control of its eastern Donbas region as a condition for ending the war, a point of contention for Kyiv.

Further scrutiny of Witkoff emerged last month with the leak of an audio recording. In the recording, he appears to advise a senior aide to Vladimir Putin, Yuri Ushakov, on how to negotiate in a manner that would benefit Russia’s position.

The transcript of this leaked call, obtained by Bloomberg, suggests Witkoff urged Ushakov to ensure Putin would congratulate the US president upon the announcement of his Gaza deal. Witkoff reportedly argued that such public acknowledgment would guarantee a more favorable outcome for their subsequent discussions.

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Keywords: Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, Ukraine peace talks, Russia Ukraine war, US diplomacy, real estate negotiator, geopolitical expertise, territorial concessions