"There were all kinds of conversations back then about Ukraine joining NATO. The president has spoken about this. That didn't need to happen. It basically became a threat to the Russians," Steve Witko

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, whose portfolio has expanded to encompass Ukraine, suggested that the war there wasn’t “necessary” provoked by the Kremlin.

The following is the transcript of an interview with Steve Witkoff, President Trump's Middle East special envoy, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Feb. 23, 2025.

The meeting is meant to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S. sees President Vladimir Putin as a "great competitor" and "adversary" as it works to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Before Trump returned to the White House, Witkoff was his political adviser, fundraiser and golfing buddy. In testimony at Trump’s 2023 New York civil fraud trial, Witkoff said the pair’s friendship began in 1986 when he bought Trump a sandwich at a deli after Trump forgot his wallet.

WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS: When US President Donald Trump wanted someone to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin last week to open negotiations ... golf buddy and billionaire real estate developer Steve Witkoff. The president has made Witkoff his Middle East ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "little bit scared ... Advisor Michael Waltz and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to lead negotiations with Russia and Ukraine.

RIA Novosti said a jet allegedly linked to Donald Trump's U.S. Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, landed in Moscow on Tuesday.

Steve Witkoff, appointed by President Trump as Middle East envoy, also in a separate interview with CNN did not say whether he had met or spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin while he was ...