There has been a long-standing rift between Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio, says the American station NBC. – They seem to be playing in different keys. If during negotiations there is no common understanding of the problems and the opponent, nothing good can come from it – describes the former US ambassador to NATO and Russia Alexander Vershbow.
Steve Witkoff, wanting to quickly conclude a deal with Russia on Donald Trump's orders, is pushing proposals that oblige Ukraine to make concessions, give up territory and accept the risk for its future security, NBC reports.
In turn, Marco Rubio and other administration representatives support greater economic and military pressure on Russia to force Vladimir Putin to make concessions and guarantee a safe future for Ukraine.
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What are the differences between Witkoff and Rubio's views on ending the war?
What proposals is Steve Witkoff pushing?
What actions does Marco Rubio propose?
Are Witkoff and Rubio supposed to work together?
Divergent visions of Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff. The Department of State denies this
In addition to disagreements over the peace process, there is also disagreement between Steve Witkoff and State Department officials on security issues, especially during Donald Trump's envoy's trip to Russia.
The representative of the US president is said to be lax when it comes to security, which raises concerns that he may use unsecured means of communication, which could expose him to eavesdropping on his conversations.
However, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott assures that there are no cracks between Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff. “They maintain close working contacts and are friends,” he notes.
Marco Rubio himself, during Friday's press conference, also assured that “no one acts independently and everything is strongly coordinated.” He called Steve Witkoff “a very smart and talented person” and emphasized that he does not receive any remuneration for his work.
