Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff are reportedly clashing over their diplomatic approaches to Russia's war in Ukraine, NBC News reported on Monday.
The way Rubio and Witkoff divide up plays is the factor that could determine how the war in Ukraine ends.
In November, Rubio was scheduled to attend peace talks with Ukrainian officials in Switzerland. However, Witkoff departed early, leading some officials to speculate that he was attempting to outmaneuver Rubio.
The report indicates that Witkoff did not communicate his travel plans to Rubio or other State Department officials. This lack of communication was perceived by sources as an attempt to negotiate with Ukraine independently.
Rubio eventually arrived in Geneva, ensuring that Witkoff would meet the Ukrainian officials alongside him, according to NBC.
The Secretary of State spent the last two days before the scheduled meeting addressing a major diplomatic crisis after the leak of a US-backed peace plan spearheaded by Witkoff, seen as heavily favoring Russia over Ukraine.
The episode got into a list of past incidents regarding the long-running rift between the two politicians, including how the war in Ukraine should end.
Between the divergences, there is also a discussion about how much the US should trust Russia's promises.
Ukraine strategy: Concessions vs. pressure in Trump team
“They seem to be singing off a different sheet of music,” said Alexander Vershbow, a former career diplomat who was ambassador to NATO.
“And if you don’t have a common understanding of the problems and of your adversary in a negotiation, it can’t be good.”
Until the moment, to achieve a deal as quickly as possible, as requested by Trump, Witkoff favoured proposals that put the onus on Ukraine to make concessions, including giving up territory and accepting future security risks.
On the other hand, Rubio showed himself to be in favour of imposing tougher economic and military pressure on Russia to force Putin to make concessions, thereby allowing a secure future for Ukraine.