Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the negotiation team with Russia instead of the special representative of US President Steve Witkoff. According to The Wall Street Journal, the administration of US President Donald Trump plans to hold more meetings with Russian representatives at a lower level than before the talks in Alaska.
“The American side will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio instead of special envoy Steve Witkoff, which has been positively received by Ukrainian and European officials,” the article states. Additionally, the Trump team is working on strengthening his negotiations with Putin, using more “diplomatic levers” than before the summit in Alaska.
This news indicates a shift in the US presidential administration's approach to negotiations with Russia. Marco Rubio will lead the negotiation team instead of the previous special representative, and this may signal a reevaluation of the strategy in relations between the countries in the future.