WASHINGTON – After President Trump’s re-election, Jared Kushner, a trusted voice from his first term, is now playing a larger role in important peace talks. Steve Witkoff, who is a successful businessman, has been leading these talks, but the President believes Kushner’s past experience in diplomacy can help.
Those close to President Trump think that Kushner’s skills can work well with Witkoff’s way of negotiating. They believe Kushner can help find common ground and reach agreements.
This past weekend, Kushner and Witkoff met with Kirill Dmitriev from Russia in Miami. They talked about ways to stop the war in Ukraine. They also spoke with officials from Turkey and Qatar about keeping the peace between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and moving forward with President Trump’s plan for a ceasefire.
Before this meeting, Witkoff and Kushner had been traveling to meet with leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and diplomats from Ukraine and Europe in Germany.
Some see Witkoff as someone who strongly supports President Trump’s foreign policy. Kushner has a history of business dealings in the Middle East. Some people in Europe are concerned that he might focus too much on business deals when it comes to diplomacy.
However, Kushner is generally seen as a more reliable negotiator than Witkoff. Some Ukrainian and European officials think Witkoff might be too understanding of Russia’s position in the war.
A former U.S. ambassador, Ian Kelly, said that Kushner has experience from the first Trump administration, but it’s still too early to know how helpful he will be this time.
The White House says President Trump views Kushner as a valuable family member and advisor who has been important in some of his biggest successes in foreign policy.
The State Department also praised Kushner as a skilled negotiator, noting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio appreciates his willingness to help President Trump solve difficult global problems.
Kushner has said that he learned about foreign policy during President Trump’s first term by watching an outsider change the way things were done in Washington.
Some people have questioned whether Kushner’s business interests in the Middle East could create conflicts of interest as he works on the administration’s policies.
Kushner has stated that what some call conflicts of interest, he and Witkoff consider as experience and trusted relationships.
The White House counsel stated that Kushner’s work for President Trump follows all laws.
He added that because Kushner was important in creating the Abraham Accords and other diplomatic wins during Trump’s first term, the President has asked Kushner to help bring peace to the world again.
Some people doubt that Kushner can secure a deal between Russia and Ukraine, especially with Witkoff still leading the effort.
Kelly said that Witkoff’s approach might not work because he doesn’t understand the Russians well and might misinterpret their intentions.
He added that they seem to think that money and investment are the key, but the Russians are more interested in controlling land.
Kushner had stayed out of the spotlight for a while, but he offered his advice when needed. Now, he’s taking a more active role, especially after it became clear that Witkoff might need help to finalize agreements.
As President Trump worked to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Kushner used his past experience negotiating the Abraham Accords to help Witkoff move President Trump’s plan forward.
After the Gaza plan was agreed upon, Kushner said he was going back to his family and his business. However, President Trump has asked him to help with the Russia-Ukraine negotiations as well.
President Trump has hinted that he will continue to rely on Kushner when the stakes are high.
