Trump envoy's Kremlin talks spark criticism over translators
Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's envoy, held talks with Vladimir Putin about Ukraine using Kremlin translators, as revealed by the American network NBC News.
What do you need to know?
- Steve Witkoff, envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, held talks with Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine using Kremlin translators.
- Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, criticized this decision.
- The talks were held three times in the early months of this year.
Why did Witkoff use Kremlin translators?
Steve Witkoff, envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, used Kremlin translators during talks with Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, as reported by NBC News.
This decision was met with criticism. Witkoff broke a long-standing protocol by not hiring his own translator, according to an American official and two Western officials familiar with the talks.
Former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul emphasized that using Kremlin translators is "a very bad idea." In McFaul's opinion, this decision put Witkoff "at a real disadvantage."
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn’t know what they are saying," commented one of NBC's sources.
What were the consequences of this decision?
Witkoff, a former real estate mogul, does not speak Russian, which could have affected his ability to fully understand the discussions. Using Kremlin translators carried the risk of missing nuances in Putin's messages.
Two former U.S. ambassadors noted that the presence of a U.S. translator ensures a more accurate record of the meeting, which is crucial for the rest of the government.
Witkoff held talks regarding Ukraine three times
The American president's envoy held talks about Ukraine three times in February, March, and April of this year.
McFaul, who knows Russian, always listened to both Kremlin and U.S. translators, noting differences in their messages.
