WASHINGTON, August 29. /TASS/. The United States and Russia have managed to reduce the list of open issues concerning the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine to security guarantees and territorial concessions, US Vice President JD Vance said, commenting on the results of US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff’s negotiations.
"The fruits of his (Witkoff’s) negotiations are that we have narrowed the list of open issues in the Russia-Ukraine war to a set of clearly defined issues — specifically, security guarantees and territorial concessions," he wrote on his X page.
He called Witkoff "an invaluable member" of the US team, arguing with a Politico article, which cited anonymous officials as saying that the presidential envoy lacks expertise in negotiating processes.
He slammed the story from Politico as "journalistic malpractice." "But it's more than that: it's a foreign influence operation meant to hurt the administration and one of our most effective members," he wrote.
"He (Witkoff) did not mislead anyone on what the Russians told him and what the Russians conceded. (Trust me, I've seen the intel.)," Vance noted, adding that is peace is finally made, it will be thanks to Witkoff’s and President Trump’s efforts.
The Politico said earlier, citing its sources, that US and EU officials criticize Witkoff in private for the lack of expertise and unpreparedness for top-level talks. According to the sources, he refuses from being consulted by experts on diplomatic matters.