Putin quietly maneuvered to secure a U.S. envoy he viewed as more pliable: Steve Witkoff, a billionaire real-estate developer and longtime friend of Trump.

Through Saudi intermediaries, the Kremlin signaled it was open to talks—and even a prisoner release—on one condition: Witkoff would come alone, without CIA officers, diplomats, or an interpreter.

Russian intelligence had assessed other Trump appointees, including retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, as potentially hostile to Moscow’s aims. Witkoff, by contrast, fit Trump’s preference for personal loyalty and dealmaking over institutional diplomacy. After his first trip to Moscow, Witkoff helped secure the release of American teacher Marc Fogel, a gesture that boosted his standing with Trump and cemented his role as the main U.S. channel to Putin.

Since then, Witkoff has met Putin repeatedly, often for hours at a time, while bypassing much of the traditional national-security bureaucracy. He has declined CIA briefings on Russia, relied on a small personal team, and kept allies and even parts of the U.S. government largely in the dark. Working closely with Kremlin dealmaker Kirill Dmitriev, Witkoff has discussed issues ranging from Ukraine’s borders and military future to sanctions relief and postwar investment.

Source: WSJ