By Pavel Morozov

Copyright pravda

Special U.S. envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who also plays a role in U.S.–Russia negotiations over Ukraine, could step down by the end of the year if Washington seals a Gaza deal, The Times of Israel reports.
Witkoff may leave by year-end after Gaza progress
The Times of Israel cites a White House source saying Witkoff’s posting carried a narrow, time-limited mandate — primarily to help broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas over Gaza — and that his formal appointment covered only 130 days. Sources told the paper that Witkoff plans to depart if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepts the U.S. proposal and the Gaza negotiations succeed.
“People in Witkoff’s office are already looking for new jobs. If the Gaza deal completes, the envoy will exit gracefully,” an anonymous official said.
Who is Steve Witkoff?
Stephen Charles Witkoff was born March 15, 1957, in New York. He hails from a Jewish family whose grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire. Witkoff began his career as a real estate lawyer and co-founded Stellar Management Company in 1985, which acquired considerable Manhattan office property. He met Donald Trump in the 1980s; a personal act of help early on helped forge a long business and personal friendship. Witkoff backed Trump’s 2016 campaign and later supported him legally and politically. After the 2024 election, Jared Kushner persuaded Witkoff to accept the special envoy role for the Middle East — an appointment observers attribute largely to personal trust.
What his exit would mean for Ukraine negotiations
The Times of Israel did not specify whether Witkoff would also leave the Russia track. Although his formal mandate covered Gaza, in practice he emerged as a principal interlocutor with Moscow on Ukraine, displacing U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg. Witkoff even met Ukraine’s presidential office chief Andriy Yermak on September 4. Analysts quoted by Politico argue that the Trump administration’s Ukraine strategy has faltered and that Witkoff’s involvement exemplifies that misstep. If Witkoff departs, the White House could return the Russia file to Kellogg, whose stance analysts consider more firmly anti-Russian.
Witkoff expressed optimism after President Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on September 29, saying he hoped a Gaza settlement might create momentum for peace elsewhere, including Ukraine. But reporting in The New York Post indicates growing frustration inside Trump’s circle with Witkoff’s performance on Ukraine, Iran, and Gaza — particularly after a May meeting with President Putin where Witkoff reportedly met alone with Russian officials and relied on Russian interpreters. An unnamed White House official described the envoy as well-meaning but inept and said he should not operate solo.
“Nice guy, but a bumbling f–king idiot,” a member of the Trump administration said of Witkoff. “He should not be doing this alone.”
As U.S. negotiators weigh the future of their Ukraine diplomacy, Witkoff’s potential resignation could prompt a shift in personnel and tactics at a delicate moment for both Gaza and Moscow tracks.