Who Are the Key Players in the New Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks?

WISE NEWS PRESS / LONDON, UK — DEC. 3, 2025

A delegation from the United States met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Dec. 2 to discuss a potential agreement to end the war in Ukraine, marking the latest step in two weeks of intense diplomatic activity aimed at resolving the conflict.

The meeting follows the presentation of a 28-point US peace plan to Kyiv two weeks ago, which has been perceived by some analysts as generally favoring Moscow. Subsequent discussions have taken place in Geneva and Florida, involving a cast of high-profile negotiators from the US, Russia, and Ukraine.

Key US Negotiators

The American team is led by a mix of political appointees and close allies of the Trump administration:

• Dan Driscoll: The 39-year-old Secretary of the Army is the youngest to hold the post. A former classmate and ally of Vice President JD Vance, Driscoll became a central figure after surprisingly joining the delegation to Kyiv following the leak of the US peace plan.

  
  

• Steve Witkoff: A real estate mogul and golf partner of Donald Trump, Witkoff has pivoted from his role as Special Envoy to the Middle East to become a key interlocutor with Russia. He has reportedly visited Moscow six times without stopping in Kyiv, drawing criticism for appearing to prioritize the Kremlin's demands.

  
  

• Marco Rubio: The US Secretary of State led the American delegation at the Geneva talks. Rubio is viewed as more critical of Russia compared to others in the administration, emphasizing that peace must also ensure Ukraine's "long-term prosperity".

• Jared Kushner: Trump’s son-in-law and former senior advisor, Kushner holds no official position but remains influential in diplomatic channels due to his background in international business deals.

Ukrainian Leadership in Flux

Ukraine's negotiating team has seen significant changes amidst the diplomatic push:

• Rustem Umerov: Currently the head of Ukraine’s National Security Council, Umerov replaced Andriy Yermak in talks held in Florida. He previously served as Defense Minister and has been involved in negotiations since the war began.

• Andriy Yermak (Resigned): Formerly President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff and top negotiator, Yermak resigned last week following a corruption raid, ending his powerful tenure abruptly.

Russian Representatives

On the Russian side, seasoned diplomats and advisors are steering the Kremlin's strategy:

• Kirill Dmitriev: A key figure in US-Russia backchannel diplomacy since Trump's second term began. Experienced in business deals, Dmitriev is noted for his ease in Western media environments while defending the Russian government's stance.

• Yuri Ushakov: A foreign policy advisor to Putin since 2012 and former ambassador to the US. Ushakov was reportedly open to a Trump-Putin meeting to advance the process but recently criticized the European peace plan as "not constructive".

• Vladimir Medinsky: A senior advisor and former Culture Minister, Medinsky has been a member of the negotiation team since the 2022 invasion. Known as a hardliner, he co-authored history textbooks justifying the war.

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