Witkoff and Kushner Face Growing Scrutiny Over U.S. Diplomacy

President Donald Trump’s diplomatic team has once again come under scrutiny as special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner take a central role in the administration’s efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

The two envoys recently traveled to Moscow, where they held lengthy talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, before traveling to Kyiv for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meetings were part of a renewed American push to restart stalled peace negotiations.

The Kremlin described the Moscow discussions as frank and constructive, while the White House said the envoys discussed substantive plans for possible next steps. However, no breakthrough toward ending the war was announced following the meetings.

That has fueled criticism from some observers who question whether the pair’s unconventional diplomatic approach can produce meaningful results. Recent commentary has described their efforts as inexperienced or ineffective, while other analysts have noted that they have nevertheless succeeded in keeping direct channels open with both Moscow and Kyiv.

The criticism is particularly notable because both men occupy unusually influential positions in Trump’s foreign-policy efforts. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has taken part in high-level negotiations despite not being a traditional career diplomat, while Witkoff has become one of Trump’s most prominent special envoys.

For now, their diplomatic strategy remains focused on getting Russia and Ukraine back into negotiations.

The big question is whether their unconventional approach will eventually produce a breakthrough—or whether the criticism will continue to grow.