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A flurry of diplomatic activity between US, Ukrainian and Russian officials has been taking place in the past fortnight
Maira ButtTuesday 02 December 2025 09:20 GMTComments
CloseRubio says US-Ukraine talks on Russia war 'productive' but much work remains
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President Donald Trump has claimed that “big progress” is being made in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine as his special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived for talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The US and Ukraine are seeking to narrow gaps in a peace plan proposed by Washington that was criticised as pro-Russian. European leaders responded with a counter-proposal that reasserted Ukraine’s demands.
It includes respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, freedom to advance its Nato ambitions and EU membership aspirations and maintain a large military to deter the threat of future Russian aggression.
Several countries and high-profile individuals are involved in the discussions, which have resulted in public disagreements. The Independent looks at some of the key characters below.
Steve Witkoff - the billionaire real estate investor with strong ties to Russia
open image in galleryGazapremium (Getty)Trump’s special envoy has been in the firing line after a tape was leaked of him appearing to coach senior aide to Vladimir Putin, Yuri Ushakov, on how to negotiate in Russia’s interests.
Since Trump’s re-election, the billionaire has served as the United States special envoy to the Middle East and special envoy for peace missions.
He played a key role in negotiating a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas earlier this year, alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Prior to his political career, Witkoff enjoyed successful business dealings in the Middle East and strong relationships with the Qatari government, which were reported to be a key source of funds for his company, the Witkoff Group.
The real-estate developer and investor also served during the first Trump administration as member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, set up to deal with the economic impact of the Covid pandemic.
Kirill Dmitriev - blacklisted Kremlin official behind Trump’s peace plan
open image in galleryKirill Dmitriev talks to US president Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff (Reuters)Dmitriev, the Harvard-educated CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), assumed the office of the special presidential envoy on Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation on 23 February this year despite having little diplomatic experience.
The businessman and his organisation have been under US sanctions, effectively barring American citizens and companies from dealing with them, since 2022.
The close ally of Putin is not popular among other members of his inner circle, with reports that he has clashed with “sidelined” foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential aide Yury Ushakov when they met with American officials in Saudi Arabia in February.
Dmitriev has met several times with some of Trump’s closest officials, including his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
He worked directly with Kushner during the first administration, coordinating with him during the pandemic on the delivery of RDIF-supplied ventilators to the US. It sparked concern among officials at the Treasury Department that the US might be violating its own sanctions, according to a senior US official.
The businessman has appeared on various American television stations and at events including the World Economic Forum in Davos, to promote the strengthening of trade ties between the US and Russia.
Dan Driscoll - The ex-soldier and Vance’s Yale classmate
open image in galleryArmy Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)A friend and former classmate of JD Vance from the vice president’s Yale Law School days, Driscoll – who has a background in the US military and is the son of a Vietnam veteran – has made a formidable name for himself in the current Trump administration as US army secretary.
Driscoll served for three and a half years in the US Army, including a deployment in Iraq in 2009, leaving duty as a lieutenant. Despite little diplomatic experience, the former investment banker’s background in politics includes an internship at the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.
He has been directly involved in controversial deployments of the national guard across the US, and succeeded Kash Patel as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
His high-level involvement comes amid a series of controversies and criticism surrounding secretary of war Peter Hegseth.
“There’s not a lot of trust in Hegseth to deliver these messages to key leaders,” a source told Politico. “There is more trust in Dan to do that right now.”
Experienced in drone technology, he has previously shown respect for Ukraine’s resourcefulness in deploying its relatively limited resources to “come up with whatever they have to do to get to an outcome they need”.
Marco Rubio - Trump’s secretary of state
open image in galleryUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that progress is being made at the talks (PA Wire)The Republican politician represented Florida in the US Senate from 2011 to 2025. He is currently serving as US Secretary of State and played a leading role during Israel-Gaza ceasefire talks.
Rubio has a colourful career history including serving in the House of Representatives in Miami and teaching at Florida International University as an adjunct professor, an appointment that was criticised at the time.
Talks between Russia and Ukraine stalled earlier this year following a phone call between Rubio and Lavrov, during which the Russian diplomat is said to have infuriated Washington by making maximalist demands over ending the war.
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