A Private Rivalry Between Witkoff and Rubio is Ongoing Regarding the Format of a Peace Plan for Ukraine
NBC News reported on an unpublicized rivalry between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US President's Special Representative Steve Witkoff in the context of promoting "peace talks" on Ukraine. The report is based on conversations with more than a dozen current and former US and European officials.
Photo: Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP
The publication cites several instances where Witkoff organized international meetings regarding ending the war in Ukraine without Rubio's knowledge.
For example, in April 2025, Rubio learned that Witkoff had arranged a private meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The Secretary of State requested to join it, but the French Foreign Ministry stated that Witkoff himself had to approve the matter. As a result, Rubio contacted him and joined the conversation.
In late November, Witkoff organized a meeting with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida, about which Rubio only learned after the Ukrainians contacted his representatives. According to one senior Trump administration official, Rubio was effectively excluded from this process, even though he should have been managing it.
Beyond disagreements regarding peace efforts in Ukraine, Witkoff also conflicted with Rubio and State Department officials on security matters, especially during trips to Russia. Some administration officials questioned Witkoff's use of his private plane for flights to Moscow without secure communication channels. In May, the State Department initiated an investigation, after which Witkoff was provided with additional security and a secure mobile communication system on the plane. However, according to some sources, there are concerns that he does not always use the secure government communication system.
Publicly, the White House and Rubio and Witkoff themselves state that they are cooperating in achieving peace in Ukraine. In November, Rubio called media reports about allegedly two opposing approaches within the Trump administration to Russia's war against Ukraine 'fake'.
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