{"id":29011,"date":"2026-09-09T19:37:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T16:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/?p=29011"},"modified":"2026-09-09T19:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T16:37:21","slug":"retkliff-witkoff-kushner-perehovory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/analitika\/retkliff-witkoff-kushner-perehovory\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump may replace his negotiator on Ukraine: the CIA director is in the running"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-start=\"400\" data-end=\"775\">Donald Trump\u2019s administration is preparing <strong data-start=\"440\" data-end=\"542\">to significantly expand the role of CIA Director John Ratcliffe in efforts to bring Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine to an end<\/strong>, according to the Financial Times. In Washington, discussions are also taking place regarding a possible scaling back of the roles of Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, whose months-long contacts with Moscow have so far failed to produce a breakthrough. At the same time, the wording that <strong data-start=\"803\" data-end=\"831\">\u00abVitkoff and Kushner \u2014 that\u2019s it\u00bb<\/strong>, \u2026 it would be premature to say at this stage. According to the FT, Trump has not yet made a final decision. Kushner, in particular, may focus more on the Middle East, whilst Ratcliffe will have a greater say specifically on Russian-Ukrainian affairs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"news-summary-box\"><strong>Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trump may significantly strengthen the role of CIA Director John Ratcliffe.<\/li>\n<li>The influence of Witkoff and Kushner on the Ukrainian track may be reduced.<\/li>\n<li>No final decision has yet been taken at the White House.<\/li>\n<li>Retcliffe has already made a secret trip to Moscow and spoken to the FSB leadership.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-section-id=\"1ppg3sw\" data-start=\"1544\" data-end=\"1598\">Retcliffe has already sent a much stronger message to Moscow<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1600\" data-end=\"1738\">A shift in American tactics began to become apparent as early as the end of August, when Ratcliffe carried out <strong data-start=\"1695\" data-end=\"1737\">a rare, unannounced visit to Moscow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1740\" data-end=\"1964\">The Kremlin has officially confirmed that <a href=\"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/politics\/john-ratcliffe-cia-vizyt-rosiya\/\">Director of the CIA<\/a> met with representatives of the Russian security services, but not with <strong>Vladimir Putin<\/strong>. Following the talks, Putin was immediately briefed on the outcome.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1966\" data-end=\"2185\">Retcliffe met, amongst others, with the director of the FSB <strong>by Oleksandr Bortnikov<\/strong> and conveyed to the Russian side a message that was fundamentally different from the one Moscow had become accustomed to hearing during negotiations with Witkoff.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2187\" data-end=\"2504\">The gist of the American message was that <strong data-start=\"2235\" data-end=\"2392\">Russia\u2019s position is not as strong as the Kremlin portrays it, and continuing the war could make the situation even worse for Moscow in six to twelve months\u2019 time<\/strong>. Retcliffe called on his Russian counterparts to return to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2506\" data-end=\"2711\">Washington\u2019s assessment was that the advance of Russian troops had slowed and that the Russian economy was facing growing budgetary and fuel problems.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"15ccayg\" data-start=\"2713\" data-end=\"2754\">Putin never did meet with Retcliffe<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2756\" data-end=\"2923\">During the Moscow mission <strong data-start=\"2800\" data-end=\"2884\">A face-to-face meeting between Retcliffe and Putin was considered, but in the end it did not take place<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2925\" data-end=\"3199\">Director\u2019s position <a href=\"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/world\/fbr-tsru-rozsliduvannia-vplyv-rosii\/\">CIA<\/a> differed sharply from Putin\u2019s own assessment. The Russian president is convinced that time is on Moscow\u2019s side and that Ukraine can ultimately be forced to agree to territorial concessions.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3201\" data-end=\"3371\">According to the publication\u2019s sources, who were familiar with the negotiations, Retcliffe, after <a href=\"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/politics\/ratcliffe-moscow-warning-russia-nato\/\">visit<\/a> believed that he had sent the necessary signal, but <strong data-start=\"3336\" data-end=\"3370\">was unable to change the Kremlin\u2019s stance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3373\" data-end=\"3635\">What is more, following his visit, Russia stepped up its missile and drone strikes on Ukraine. One of the Washington Post\u2019s sources suggested that Moscow might have perceived the US attempt to persuade it to negotiate as a sign of weakness.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3637\" data-end=\"3729\">Therefore, the mere fact that Retcliffe has appeared at the talks does not necessarily mean that the Kremlin is any closer to reaching a compromise.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"18d58cj\" data-start=\"3731\" data-end=\"3786\">Vitkoff was banking on his personal relationship with Putin<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3788\" data-end=\"3837\">Steve Witkoff opted for a different approach right from the start.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3839\" data-end=\"4082\">The businessman and long-standing associate of Trump regularly travelled to Moscow and tried to build <strong data-start=\"3924\" data-end=\"3960\">a personal channel of trust with Putin<\/strong>, on the basis that economic incentives, direct contacts and personal agreements may gradually bring the parties\u2019 positions closer together.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4084\" data-end=\"4343\">By September, Witkoff had already visited Moscow eight times. On 5 September, he and Kushner spent over three hours in talks with Putin, and the following day they made their first official visit to Kyiv and met with Zelenskyy.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4345\" data-end=\"4370\">However, there was no breakthrough.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4372\" data-end=\"4643\">The main problem remains the same: Moscow continues to demand territorial concessions, particularly regarding the part of the Donbas that the Russian army has not yet captured, whilst Ukraine categorically refuses to cede any territory voluntarily.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4645\" data-end=\"4892\">The Financial Times now reports that frustration has been building in the White House over the lack of results, and <strong data-start=\"4742\" data-end=\"4851\">The overlap in the remit of various US negotiators has created competition within the administration itself<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"2y323\" data-start=\"4894\" data-end=\"4931\">How does Retcliffe\u2019s approach differ?<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4933\" data-end=\"4994\">This is the most important part of the possible reorganisation.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4996\" data-end=\"5096\">Retcliffe enters the negotiations not as a business intermediary, but as <strong data-start=\"5060\" data-end=\"5095\">head of US intelligence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5098\" data-end=\"5144\">This means that his position is based on the following assessment:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"5146\" data-end=\"5380\">\n<li data-section-id=\"fhmcu9\" data-start=\"5146\" data-end=\"5181\">the true state of the Russian army;<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"104rc25\" data-start=\"5182\" data-end=\"5205\">the pace of its progress;<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"17p46qx\" data-start=\"5206\" data-end=\"5232\">the Russian Federation\u2019s economic reserves;<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"11dp8pc\" data-start=\"5233\" data-end=\"5271\">the losses and opportunities of the Russian defence industry;<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"5g0jjs\" data-start=\"5272\" data-end=\"5312\">the situation within the Kremlin elite;<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"xsblkz\" data-start=\"5313\" data-end=\"5380\">Moscow\u2019s ability to continue the war in the long term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"5382\" data-end=\"5520\">Instead of the argument \u00abwhat Russia will gain from the deal\u00bb, Retcliffe is in fact putting forward a different one: <strong data-start=\"5469\" data-end=\"5519\">\u00abSee what happens if there\u2019s no deal\u00bb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5522\" data-end=\"5591\">It is precisely this that makes his negotiating style tougher than Witkoff\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5593\" data-end=\"5835\">At the same time, Retkliff\u2019s tougher stance should not automatically be interpreted as the Trump administration shifting to a \u00abpro-Ukrainian\u00bb position. The White House\u2019s aim remains to reach an agreement, and Washington may continue to exert pressure on both sides in order to achieve this.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"180z86m\" data-start=\"5837\" data-end=\"5898\">Retcliffe has already proposed a meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy and Putin<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"5900\" data-end=\"6077\">During the August mission, the head of the CIA also sought to ascertain whether the heads of the Russian security services were able to influence Putin and persuade him to return to serious negotiations.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6079\" data-end=\"6252\">Axios reported that Retcliffe <strong data-start=\"6109\" data-end=\"6211\">raised the idea of a trilateral meeting between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6254\" data-end=\"6526\">It is precisely these intellectual channels that may prove crucial for such diplomacy. Bortnikov is a member of Putin\u2019s inner security circle and has previously been involved in complex negotiations between the US and Russia, particularly regarding prisoner exchanges.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6528\" data-end=\"6741\">However, there is a fundamental problem: even if the heads of the security services understand the economic and military risks of a protracted war, there is no guarantee that they are prepared to persuade Putin to abandon his territorial claims.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"dmwpho\" data-start=\"6743\" data-end=\"6792\">Are Witkoff and Kushner really losing control?<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"6794\" data-end=\"6904\">Witkoff and Kushner\u2019s trip to Moscow and Kyiv took place about ten days after the CIA director\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6906\" data-end=\"7220\">That is precisely why, in the American media, it was partly seen as an attempt to <strong data-start=\"6974\" data-end=\"7024\">to give new impetus to their dialogue<\/strong>. The Wall Street Journal, as reported by other publications, also noted that Ratcliffe\u2019s appearance signalled that the previous diplomatic manoeuvre might have run into difficulties.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7222\" data-end=\"7265\">However, there has not yet been a complete removal of Witkoff.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7267\" data-end=\"7568\">On the contrary, following the latest visit, the Kremlin stated that it hoped for a swift resumption of negotiations under US mediation, whilst Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that a roadmap for a return to the negotiating table could be drawn up within the coming weeks.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7570\" data-end=\"7703\">It is therefore more accurate to speak of <strong data-start=\"7606\" data-end=\"7667\">the clash between two approaches within American diplomacy<\/strong>, rather than a permanent replacement of the team.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"o72d5s\" data-start=\"7705\" data-end=\"7756\">What a change in negotiator might mean for Ukraine<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"7758\" data-end=\"7822\">For Kyiv, Retcliffe\u2019s arrival presents both potential benefits and risks.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7824\" data-end=\"8177\"><strong data-start=\"7824\" data-end=\"7886\">The first advantage is a more realistic assessment of Russia\u2019s capabilities.<\/strong> Judging by the data that has been made public, US intelligence does not share the Kremlin\u2019s assertion that Russia\u2019s military victory is inevitable. This reduces the risk that negotiations will be based solely on the premise that Ukraine must cede territory as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8179\" data-end=\"8326\"><strong data-start=\"8179\" data-end=\"8230\">The second is the possibility of exerting greater pressure on Moscow.<\/strong> Retcliffe has already made it clear to the Russian security forces that a prolonged war could worsen the situation for the Russian Federation.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8328\" data-end=\"8342\">But there is also a risk.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8344\" data-end=\"8556\">If Trump demands a quick result, even a tougher negotiator could use intelligence not only to put pressure on the Kremlin, but also to identify the minimum concessions that Washington will try to persuade Kyiv to make.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8558\" data-end=\"8668\">Therefore, the main change lies not so much in the fact that, <strong data-start=\"8604\" data-end=\"8637\">who is more sympathetic towards Ukraine<\/strong>, as much as in the negotiation process.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8670\" data-end=\"8726\">Vitkoff held out the prospect of benefits for the Kremlin following the peace.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8728\" data-end=\"8822\">Retcliffe, judging by his mission in Moscow, explains, <strong data-start=\"8780\" data-end=\"8821\">what the cost of continuing the war might be<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8824\" data-end=\"9011\">And if Trump does indeed place the CIA director at the centre of the Ukrainian negotiating track, this will mark the most significant shift in US strategy regarding negotiations with Moscow in recent months.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u0410\u0434\u043c\u0456\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0446\u0456\u044f \u0414\u043e\u043d\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0434\u0430 \u0422\u0440\u0430\u043c\u043f\u0430 \u0433\u043e\u0442\u0443\u0454\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0441\u0443\u0442\u0442\u0454\u0432\u043e \u0440\u043e\u0437\u0448\u0438\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0438 \u0440\u043e\u043b\u044c \u0434\u0438\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430 \u0426\u0420\u0423 \u0414\u0436\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u0420\u0435\u0442\u043a\u043b\u0456\u0444\u0444\u0430 \u0443 \u0441\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u0430\u0445 \u0437\u0430\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0448\u0438\u0442\u0438 \u0432\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0443 \u0420\u043e\u0441\u0456\u0457 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0438 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0438, \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0456\u0434\u043e\u043c\u043b\u044f\u0454 Financial Times. \u0423 \u0412\u0430\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0442\u043e\u043d\u0456 \u043f\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e \u043e\u0431\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044e\u044e\u0442\u044c \u043c\u043e\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0435 \u0437\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0448\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f \u0440\u043e\u043b\u0456 \u0441\u043f\u0435\u0446\u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0446\u044f \u0421\u0442\u0456\u0432\u0430 \u0412\u0456\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0444\u0444\u0430 \u0442\u0430 \u0414\u0436\u0430\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0430 \u041a\u0443\u0448\u043d\u0435\u0440\u0430, \u0447\u0438\u0457 \u0431\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0456\u0441\u044f\u0447\u043d\u0456 \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438 \u0437 \u041c\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0432\u043e\u044e \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0443. \u0412\u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0447\u0430\u0441 \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0443\u043b\u044e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044f, \u0449\u043e \u00ab\u0412\u0456\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0444\u0444 \u0456 \u041a\u0443\u0448\u043d\u0435\u0440 \u2014 \u0432\u0441\u0435\u00bb, \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0438 \u0431\u0443\u043b\u043e \u0431 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0447\u0430\u0441\u043d\u0438\u043c. [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":207433346,"featured_media":29014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_description":"\u0422\u0440\u0430\u043c\u043f \u0440\u043e\u0437\u0433\u043b\u044f\u0434\u0430\u0454 \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0438\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f \u0440\u043e\u043b\u0456 \u0434\u0438\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430 \u0426\u0420\u0423 \u0414\u0436\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u0420\u0435\u0442\u043a\u043b\u0456\u0444\u0444\u0430 \u0443 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0445 \u0449\u043e\u0434\u043e \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0438 \u0442\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0435 \u0441\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0447\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f \u0432\u043f\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0443 \u0412\u0456\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0444\u0444\u0430 \u0439 \u041a\u0443\u0448\u043d\u0435\u0440\u0430.","rank_math_title":"\u0422\u0440\u0430\u043c\u043f \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435 \u0432\u0456\u0434\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438 \u0437 \u0420\u0424 \u0434\u0438\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0443 \u0426\u0420\u0423","rank_math_focus_keyword":"\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438","td_subtitle":"","subtitle":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[806792],"tags":[806793],"class_list":["post-29011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-analitika","tag-806793"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/207433346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29011"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29016,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29011\/revisions\/29016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ukrmedia.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}