Overview
- Over the weekend near Miami, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian interlocutor Kirill Dmitriev without Marco Rubio, while broader sessions with Ukrainian and European representatives took place at Witkoff’s Shell Bay club.
- After the Florida talks, Witkoff listed himself, Kushner, and a White House aide as the U.S. delegation on X, making no mention of Rubio, who has publicly praised Witkoff and denied any split.
- The State Department and White House reject reports of a rift, saying Rubio and Witkoff operate in close coordination, even as officials describe internal security reviews and the provisioning of secure communications to Witkoff.
- Security concerns reported by officials include Witkoff’s use of a private jet, travel with a companion, and a leaked exchange showing contact with Putin adviser Yury Ushakov and references to WhatsApp; the Wall Street Journal also reported he declined CIA training.
- Earlier flashpoints include Witkoff’s unannounced early trip to Geneva in November that prompted Rubio to rush in from a wedding, and an April Paris episode in which Witkoff initially arranged a one‑on‑one with President Macron without Rubio.