Inside the Ukraine Peace Push: Key Negotiators Driving the Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up efforts to secure a peace agreement aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, officials from the U.S., Ukraine and Russia have traveled extensively to hold a series of high-stakes meetings. Below are the principal negotiators who have emerged as central to the talks and the roles they are playing.

Key negotiators

Steve Witkoff — A real estate magnate turned informal White House foreign-policy fixer. Witkoff has taken a lead role in complex negotiations related to both Gaza and Ukraine from a private advisory position that does not require Senate confirmation. A longtime friend and golf partner of President Trump, he has made multiple trips to Moscow in recent months.

Marco Rubio — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has acted as a principal U.S. interlocutor with Ukrainian officials and recently led the American delegation in Geneva. That session included amendments to a U.S.-Russia–brokered peace framework that critics say appeared to favor Russia in important respects.

Jared Kushner — A former White House adviser and Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner is a businessman and investor who helped negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas earlier this year. He has also participated in Ukraine-related diplomacy, meeting Ukrainian representatives in Florida and holding discussions in Moscow with Russian officials.

Dan Driscoll — The U.S. Secretary of the Army and an Iraq War veteran, Driscoll has emerged as an unexpected interlocutor in the Ukraine talks. He presented elements of the Trump administration’s proposals to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and later engaged Russian officials in the United Arab Emirates to review the proposals.

Rustem Umerov — Appointed to lead Ukraine’s delegation for recent talks with U.S. officials following the resignation of Andrii Yermak, Umerov previously served as Ukraine’s defense minister and was later tapped to head the National Security and Defense Council. Since the full-scale invasion began, he has been closely involved in key negotiation rounds.

Yuri Ushakov — A veteran Russian diplomat and presidential aide since 2012, Ushakov served as Russia’s ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2008 and is reported to speak English and Danish. He has played a prominent role in Russia’s discussions with the U.S.; some reports describe private coaching and preparatory sessions involving other intermediaries.

Kirill Dmitriev — The head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a former investment banker, Dmitriev lacks formal diplomatic credentials but has become an important back-channel communicator between the Kremlin and Trump-aligned figures. He has continued to operate in that role despite being subject to U.S. sanctions.

Sergey Lavrov — Russia’s foreign minister since 2004, Lavrov is known for firmly defending Russian policy on the international stage. Regarded as a formidable interlocutor, he attended early meetings with U.S. delegations this year and has held direct talks and phone conversations with U.S. counterparts.

These negotiators represent a mix of formal diplomats, political figures and private intermediaries. Their interactions have produced proposals that some observers say tilt toward Russian demands, drawing scrutiny from multiple capitals. The talks remain fluid, with travel and back-channel contacts continuing as parties seek workable terms.