NBC News: There is a hidden rivalry in the negotiations between Witkoff and Rubio.

Misunderstanding in the Trump Administration: Conflict between US Representatives in Ukraine Negotiations

A non-public competition has emerged between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff over the negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, NBC News reports.

According to sources among former and current US and European officials, Rubio and Witkoff have different approaches to efforts aimed at ending the war. Steve Witkoff, striving to reach an agreement with Ukraine as instructed by Trump, focuses on Ukrainian concessions, territorial transfers, and accepting security risks. Marco Rubio proposes to increase economic and military pressure on Russia to force it to make concessions. This approach has been recognized by the US’s European allies.

However, competition flared up among the officials when Witkoff outpaced Rubio by traveling to Switzerland for negotiations earlier. Rubio eventually made it to Geneva to join the negotiations. Such episodes are said to have happened before, and some officials assess Witkoff’s actions as a way to bypass Rubio.

Despite these disputes, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott denied the existence of serious disagreements between Rubio and Witkoff, noting that they work closely in implementing Trump’s policy. Rubio himself, during a briefing on Friday, called for coordination of all actions. At the same time, critics question Witkoff’s competence in the diplomatic arena, particularly his recklessness on security issues.

It is important to understand this situation in the context of Trump’s desire to reach an agreement with Russia. The conflict between Rubio and Witkoff reflects two strategies for approaching negotiations that could have a significant impact on Ukrainian-Russian relations and the US’s position in international politics.