Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner play critical roles at a time when the positions of U.S. ambassador to both Moscow and Kyiv remain unfilled. As White House special envoy, Witkoff has met with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin seven times since President Trump assumed office again.

The focus of Witkoff and Kushner has shifted to Iran, even as tensions between Russia and Ukraine intensify. Despite the escalating violence in Eastern Europe, President Trump’s administration has not prioritized the conflict, concentrating instead on negotiations with Iran.

Russian President Putin acknowledged this distraction, while Ukraine’s President criticized the U.S. for not making his country’s conflict a priority. The aggressive stance between Russia and Ukraine marks one of the most perilous phases since the Russian invasion began over four years ago.

Witkoff and Kushner, tasked with navigating the diplomacy concerning both Iran and Ukraine, traveled to Qatar for further Iran discussions. This occurred as Ukraine and Russia continued to launch attacks on each other, with significant casualties reported in Kyiv from Russian strikes.

In the absence of recent face-to-face meetings between Russian and Ukrainian officials, save for a February session in Switzerland brokered by Witkoff and Kushner, focus on Iran has consumed the resources and attention of U.S. officials. President Trump suggested that diplomatic efforts on Ukraine might resume once Iran no longer commands attention.

The Trump administration’s limited diplomatic resources have underscored its streamlined approach. The ambassadorship in Moscow has been vacant for over a year, while the acting ambassador to Kyiv stepped down in April. This leaves Witkoff and Kushner as Trump’s main negotiators, given the reduced involvement of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other diplomats.