As Trump’s increcednce was not tested to Putin, he may bring a role and risk

When President Trump appointed his friend Stephen Witkeov to be his envoy in the Middle East last November, he pushed the option to scratching in the diplomatic circles.

Many foreign officials have not heard of Mr. Witkov, a real estate developer in New York, who has known Mr. Trump since the mid -1980s. The new president’s envoy did not lack experience in the region regardless of some commercial transactions, but had no diplomatic experience.

This does not matter the president, who considers Washington’s accreditation data a responsibility and looks at foreign policy as a series of commercial transactions. Mr. Trump admired Mr. Wittouf’s ability to help the outgoing Biden administration to conclude a temporary ceasefire deal in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

Now, on a new sign of confidence in his old friend, Mr. Trump expanded the Master’s wallet. While Mr. Trump continues a peace agreement in Ukraine and a possible reorganization of the United States and Russia relations, Mr. Witkev used to be his personal envoy to Russian President Vladimir F. Putin.

On Thursday morning, Mr. Witkev fell in Moscow to meet the Russian leader for the second time more than a month ago. In mid -February, he and Mr. Putin sat in a three and a half hours session that led to the release of Mr. Putin for Mark Vogel, an American who is serving a prison sentence in Russia on charges of smuggling marijuana.

The involvement of Mr. Putin is a task that will even make the experienced diplomat breathing. He wraps his past as an intelligence student, the Russian leader is the master of intimidation, manipulation and deception. Some experts and diplomats know that Master Putin will be the master and the head in his head.

The recent signs that Mr. Witkeov may have a major role in Mr. Trump’s early diplomacy with Iran on its fast -growing nuclear program, also raised other questions, including whether Mr. Witkeov may extend to a large extent and whether it was, as a kind of highly rooted enemies, would have been abandoned by the Minister of State, Marco Rubio. Mr. Rubio flew to Moscow from Doha, Qatar, where he was helping talks between Israel and Hamas to expand the fragile Gaza stop.

In Moscow, Mr. Wittouf will hear that Mr. Putin will take Ukraine’s ceasefire plan and that US officials and Ukrainian officials were approved earlier this week in Saudi Arabia. A stand in fighting can be a first step towards Mr. Trump’s goal of quickly ending the war in Ukraine and moving to normalizing relations with Russia.

The conversation is not simple: Speaking to journalists before the meeting on Thursday, Mr. Putin raised a series of questions about the plan, which was one of the highest Kremlin assistants to reject As “hasty”. Many analysts say that Mr. Putin has a little incentive to end the war that now has a hand on.

Analysts say that if he agreed to end the war, Mr. Putin may insist on major concessions, including the American military retreat from Eastern Europe and explicit recognition similar to the Cold War in a Russian field of regional influence.

Mr. Witkoff is the first senior American official to meet with Mr. Putin since before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Biden administration has cut off Mr. Putin and accused Russia of crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

It seems that Mr. Whitkov was comfortable with the Russian leader during his first meeting, saying in an investment Conference in Miami Last month, the session spent “Development of Friendship, A relationship” with Mr. Putin.

The notes are in line with others who made the Master Wittouf disputed the idea that Russia is a dangerous aggressor.

And he spoke in CNN last month, he said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “is” aside, “adding:” This does not necessarily mean that it is provoked by the Russians. “

The suspension, which is now common to both the far left and the right, forced America Putin to military action by gradually expanding the NATO alliance in the depths of Eastern Europe, and with the proposal to make Ukraine a member.

In 2018, Mr. Witkev also criticized Western economic sanctions against Russia, and was imposed after the inclusion of the Crimea in Ukraine in 2014 and tried to influence the 2016 US presidential elections. Podcast interview.

Such talk, along with the lack of experience of Mr. Wittouf with Mr. Putin, worries some of those who know the Russian leader better.

“You must be very ready” to deal with Mr. Putin, “Fiona Hill, a Biography of Putin, who served as director of the National Security Council of Mr. Trump, told Russia.

As an anti -Mr. Witkeovs for example, Mrs. Hill, the President of the Rasul Baiden, who sent him to Mr. Putin, recalled in a moment of crisis in late 2021: Director of the CIA, William J. Burns.

To warn Mr. Putin that the conquest of Ukraine will attract a severe response to the United States, Mr. Biden Burns, who served as an American ambassador in Moscow in more than 40 years as a diplomat, sent Mr. Putin several times.

“Witkoff does not have experience, it is clear that someone like Burns did it.” She said that this may matter less, if he is surrounded by experts who can lend an expert ear to suspend Mr. Putin, provide his context and adapt facts. But she noticed that Mr. Witkoff, who works with naked employees, did not bring anyone to his first meeting with Mr. Putin.

Experience can be a responsibility for Mr. Trump, who believes that the real estate play book in the manufacture of deals is easily applied to international relations.

“It is not as if the United States has done so greatly over the years with experienced diplomats when it comes to Putin,” said Richard Haas, head of the Foreign Relations Council, who said that Mr. Witkev should have a chance to prove himself.

The similar thinking in the Middle East led to Mr. Trump in his first term for his brother -in -law, Jared Kushner, a real estate executive official, with an Israeli peace agreement and the club.

In a stage on the stage, Mr. Kushner led with Mr. Witkeov at the Miami Investment Conference, Mr. Witkev said that Mr. Kushner was convinced him to join the administration of Mr. Trump, joking that Mr. Kushner had applied “smart” tactics.

Mr. Kushner suggested that Mr. Witkev’s record of real estate was more valuable on the global stage than the traditional foreign policy experience.

“I came from the background of negotiations, transactions and deals, which are very different from diplomacy,” said Mr. Kushner.

People who worked with Mr. Witkoff say it can be a harsh and important negotiating on the table. But he has a vital, cheerful and talent behavior to make people “feel like a million dollars,” a Trump official said.

In Israel’s preserved negotiations with Hamas late last year even before the inauguration of Mr. Trump, Mr. Witkeov Brett McGurk, who held the position of best assistant for Mr. Biden in Middle East affairs, and who was trying to mediate the ceasefire in the last days of Mr.

Mr. McGurk said in an interview that he found in Mr. Witkoff Baghghamati and his colleague, “Solving Problems”, who developed a close relationship and confidence. “Anything that Steve works, in capable hands,” Mr. McGurk said.

The role of Mr. Witkev expanded in the inclusion of negotiations with Moscow – Mr. Witkev also joined Mr. Rubio and National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, in a meeting with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia last month – increases the issue of the Trump administration that supervises Russian policy.

In November, Mr. Trump Keith Keel was appointed retired public lieutenant, to be his envoy to Ukraine and Russia. But it seems that Mr. Kelog is now playing a supportive role at best.

Mr. Trump is also concerned with giving Mr. Wittouf a major role in American relations with Iran, according to Trump’s official, who will enhance his position, giving him equal responsibilities with the Foreign Minister.

Mr. Witkeov has already been overwhelmed by a finger he presented in Iran’s negotiations, stopping in the United Arab Emirates this week to give a message from Mr. Trump to the great Emirati diplomat to move to Iran. The message, addressed to the supreme leader of Iran, offered to negotiate a nuclear deal with Tehran. It was the role of Mr. Wittouf It was reported earlier by axios And his confirmation by a person familiar with the matter.

Mr. Witkev has no designs for Mr. Rubio’s job, according to a person close to him. Speaking to journalists this week, Mr. Rubio Wittakov described as a “wonderful person” and said they were speaking regularly.

During his first term, Foreign Minister Trump, Mike Bombo, sent to Moscow to attend a meeting with Mr. Putin. Given that Mr. Rubio has a record of condemning Mr. Putin as a “butcher” and a criminal of war, the master may be a more acceptable alternative.

Thomas Graham, who held the position of the best official in Russia in George W. Bush, said one of the decisive questions is whether the master Witkev is negotiating with Mr. Putin or just a reliable behavior.

Mr. Graham said that even this role brings risks to a person who is not irritated in the United States-Rosa policy.

While Mr. Putin may be notorious for his use of confusion and misinformation, in the case of Mr. Trump, his first goal may be clarity.

“Anxiety is, does he understand and disappear exactly what Putin tells and transmits it properly?” Mr. Graham, who visited Moscow recently, said.

He added: “I can tell you that the Kremlin loves Witkoff because they believe that it provides a direct channel for Trump.” “But they are concerned that because of this lack of experience in Russia, he does not fully understand what is being told, and that it may be transferred to things that really contradict the Russian position. This can bring complications in negotiation.”

Russian experts in late February, when Mr. Witkev told the correspondents that a draft settlement between Russia and Ukraine negotiated during the opening days of Russia’s invasion of Russia that could serve as a “guide” of future negotiations.

Ukrainian officials said the plan was unstable. They said that he was negotiated when Russia seemed to have crossed its country quickly, and would somewhat up to the almost existing surrender. Ukrainian officials believe they are now in a stronger negotiating position.

In Miami last month, Mr. Kushner admitted the dangers faced by Mr. Wittouf as a diplomatic outside, including the possibility of embarrassment.

Knowing – to reach a plane, and go to Russia – who trusts him, who does not trust, how do you feel that you are able to move in that? ” He asked.

Mr. Witkev answered that the most important thing is “I got the support of President Trump, a really big deal.”