Rubio, Witkoff Heading to France for Talks on Ukraine, Iran and Trade

By Staff, Agencies

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy tasked with ending the war in Ukraine and talks with Iran, are expected to travel to France later this week, according to people familiar with the trip.

Witkoff is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, while Rubio will speak with his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, before heading to Africa.

An official familiar with the trip said the discussions will focus on Ukraine, Iran, and trade ties, particularly in light of Trump’s global tariff initiative.

Macron’s meeting with Witkoff comes days after the envoy met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, to discuss a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine.

The visit marks “another step in the negotiating process towards a ceasefire” despite Trump’s “frustration,” according to the White House press secretary. 

The French president has been leading European efforts to provide Kiev with security guarantees, including the deployment of a so-called reassurance force in Ukraine, in the event of a truce.

Following Witkoff's earlier visit to Moscow, a growing division within the Trump camp over US policy on Ukraine became evident.

Witkoff proposed that Washington could help broker a ceasefire by formally acknowledging Russia's claim over four contested regions in Ukraine: Donetsk; Lugansk; Kherson and, Zaporozhye.

This was met with strong opposition from Trump's team, particularly General Keith Kellogg.

While Trump did not endorse the plan, the conversation exposed a deepening rift within his administration, as many Republican lawmakers and European allies expressed concerns that such a concession could legitimize Russia’s territorial gains and weaken Western unity. 

The visit marks the first time since February that top American officials have traveled to France, following US Vice President JD Vance’s attendance at an artificial intelligence summit.