Marta Gichko12:14, 26.11.25

Amateur diplomacy could cost the West not only Ukraine, but also its own security, the author warns.

American businessman Steve Witkoff , currently serving as Donald Trump’s special envoy, has made “too glaring” errors in his understanding of the Russian-Ukrainian war. This can no longer be ignored, writes veteran diplomatic commentator Roger Boyes in a column for The Times .

Peace negotiations with Russia traditionally become a field for manipulation, and the situation Whitkoff found himself in was no exception. Trump’s special envoy, lacking experience in geopolitics, “failed to realize how thoroughly he had sold out Ukrainian and broader Western interests to Russia” when he joined the drafting of the peace agreement, the author notes.

Peace through capitulation

The first version of the document contained 28 points, which have now been reduced to 19. However, as the publication notes, the key Russian demands remain unchanged:

• no Western military presence in Ukraine,
• no supplies of Western weapons,
• a permanent ban on Ukraine’s accession to NATO.

However, Ukraine’s main demand—security guarantees—is impossible without Western defense participation. “Nothing is working out,” Boyes concludes.

Experience as a peacemaker, but not a diplomat

68-year-old real estate developer Witkoff has long had a reputation as an effective dealmaker within Trump’s circle. He was nicknamed “Mr. Fix-it” (the man who solves what others couldn’t—UNIAN) in the Middle East:

• he was involved in the ceasefire with the Houthis in Yemen;
• played a role in securing a six-week truce in Gaza;
• helped put pressure on Netanyahu after the failed operation against Hamas leaders in Qatar.

However, in high-level politics, according to sources, he “wanders without a map.” He flies a private Gulfstream without secure communications, often without professional diplomats nearby, reading abridged briefings and “listening to podcasts.” In negotiations with Moscow, he was forced to rely on translators vetted by Russian intelligence services.

“I don’t think Putin is a bad guy.”

During a recent visit, Whitkoff met with the Russian president. His assessment of the meeting was alarmingly simple:

“I thought he was honest with me. I don’t think he’s a bad guy.”

This level of naivety in negotiations with the Kremlin is dangerous, Boyes notes.

Trump and his pursuit of the Nobel Prize

The more international conflicts Trump tries to “fix,” the more cases Witkoff gets. He was already involved in the energy agreement with Azerbaijan and the US plans to develop Ukraine’s mineral resources—a clause that unexpectedly appeared among the settlement proposals.

This, the author writes, reveals the logic of Trump’s transactional presidency: diplomacy must benefit those who carry it out.

Historical context: from Churchill to the present day

The Times columnist draws a historical parallel with 1944, when Churchill handed Stalin a “percentage sheet” on the division of Europe.

Churchill, realizing how compromising the document was, suggested burning it. But Stalin responded:

“No, keep it for yourself.”

Now, the publication writes, Witkoff is repeating the same dangerous logic in Miami – he just doesn’t realize it.

“He doesn’t know how to figure things out.”

According to the author, Witkoff demonstrates a poor understanding of which Ukrainian territories are under Russian occupation and uncritically reproduces Kremlin talking points about Ukraine’s “Russianness.” His source, it is noted, is Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian citizen of Ukrainian descent who is participating in the negotiations on Moscow’s behalf.

Boyes notes that Trump isn’t seeking a “new Kissinger” at his side, but rather someone who can entertain him at golf courses, pressure, bribe, or charm his interlocutors—anything to get quick results. Witkoff fits this mold perfectly: he speaks in Trump’s style, publicly promotes a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, and isn’t above using economic pressure—a typical tool of Trump’s second presidency.

But, according to Boyes, it is precisely Wittkoff’s lack of understanding of details, context, and strategic nuances that is the problem. After all, if a ceasefire in Ukraine in 2026 is possible, establishing a lasting peace requires experienced, measured, and structured negotiations—not improvised diplomacy.

The columnist warns that if this does not happen, Europe could face a “decade of instability” that will spread far beyond the current front.

“To turn the ceasefire into something more lasting, experienced mediators must step in, negotiating in a structured, patient, and measured manner, allowing space for bitter enemies to rebuild some trust in each other. If this fails, Europe risks a decade of instability spilling westward from the old front lines in the East. So please, Mr. Trump, stop this haphazard diplomacy and, as a first step, fire Steve Witkoff. He’s no good at judging,” the author concluded.Read also:

The Witkoff Scandal: What You Need to Know

Steve Witkoff has become embroiled in a major scandal. Bloomberg obtained leaked transcripts of Trump’s special envoy’s conversations with Kremlin officials. Specifically, it emerged that Witkoff advised Ushakov on how to present Trump with proposals for a “peace agreement.”

The two politicians spoke by phone on October 14, and their conversation lasted just over five minutes. During the conversation, Trump’s special envoy stated that he “deeply respects Putin.”

It was later revealed that a preliminary agreement had been reached between the US and Russia for President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to visit Moscow next week .

(C)UNIAN 2025