Ekaterina Girnyk10:01 PM, November 12, 2026

Witkoff and Kushner are undermining Ukraine’s ability to negotiate a just and lasting peace.

Influential Democratic Senators Gregory Meeks (ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee), Adam Smith (ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee), and U.S. Senator Jack Reed (ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee) criticized the position of Donald Trump’s negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner , accusing them of aiding Vladimir Putin. The corresponding statement was posted on the website of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Ukraine continues to inflict massive losses on the Russian military and implode the Russian economy, while U.S. special envoys continue to undermine Ukraine’s ability to negotiate a just and lasting settlement to Putin’s brutal and illegal invasion,” the statement said.

In addition, senators accuse Whitkoff and Kushner of repeating the Kremlin’s talking points about revising European security and the possible withdrawal of forces from Eastern Europe in order to weaken NATO.

Furthermore, Kushner and Witkoff constantly pressure Kyiv to cede sovereign Ukrainian territory, including the “fortress belt.” They have also repeatedly bypassed the US intelligence community and the State Department, undermining their work.

“Their approach, characteristic of Trump—to treat an entire nation’s struggle for survival as a mere real estate transaction—threatens global stability. Both they and Trump work for Putin, not for the people of the United States,” the senators emphasize.

The statement emphasizes that Putin responds only to force, and attempts to relieve pressure on him while simultaneously undermining Ukraine’s position have never been and will never be successful.

“The President should make it clear to Kushner and Witkoff that capitulating on Ukraine and appeasing Putin will not lead to peace or a stronger position,” the statement concluded.

(C)UNIAN 2026