Kathrine Frich
European leaders are increasingly uneasy about the role of US special envoy Steve Witkoff in discussions related to Moscow.
Their concerns have grown as the war in Ukraine enters another volatile phase.
Officials in Brussels say they prefer direct communication with the US president instead of relying on Trump’s longtime associate.
Unease in European capitals
Politico reports that several EU officials believe Witkoff lacks a full understanding of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
One senior official told the outlet the bloc did not trust him “to relay messages between Moscow and Washington reliably and accurately.”
Bloomberg also noted that European diplomats were “shocked” by his limited grasp of the war’s complexity.
The unease has prompted EU leaders to seek more frequent conversations with the US president.
They argue that a wider group of European representatives should be present in any future talks.
First concern: territorial concessions
One major source of distrust relates to reporting from Reuters.
The outlet stated in April that Witkoff advised Donald Trump to give Russia several Ukrainian regions if it would secure a fast route to peace.
Reuters cited individuals familiar with the conversations, saying the proposal came after Witkoff met Kirill Dmitriev of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
The notion of territorial concessions was deeply alarming to European governments, which view such suggestions as undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The discussions raised questions about Witkoff’s judgment and the alignment of his views with Western policy.
Second concern: lifting sanctions
Politico added further context in July, citing sources who said Witkoff supported lifting US energy sanctions on Russia.
This stance clashed with the position of EU governments, which have consistently backed sanctions as a central tool in responding to the invasion.
Officials questioned why a US envoy would advocate easing economic pressure while Russia continued its military campaign.
The comments created fresh doubts about Witkoff’s approach to negotiating with the Kremlin.
Third concern: breach of protocol
RBC Ukraine reported in August that Witkoff met Vladimir Putin without bringing a secretary to record the conversation.
This absence left Washington with no detailed transcript and later generated confusion about what Putin said regarding possible peace terms.
European officials viewed the protocol lapse as a serious error, since such meetings require meticulous documentation.
The episode reinforced their belief that Witkoff could not be relied upon in high-stakes diplomacy.
Looking for direct contact
Politico noted that these incidents collectively convinced European leaders that messages passed through Witkoff might be distorted or incomplete.
The bloc is therefore pushing for more frequent and direct contact with the US president to avoid misunderstandings.
For European officials, the stakes are too high to depend on an intermediary they no longer trust.
As the war continues, they argue that diplomacy must be tightly coordinated across the Atlantic.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
