Most punditry avoid noticing that President Trump’s Emissary Steve Witkoff stands alone as he communicates directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Those same pundits seemingly skip over the dynamic where the Russian government, led by Federation President Putin, permit television cameras to open these talks to the public for viewing.
These two points are remarkable by themselves when you take the history of the relationship between Russia and the United States into context. After all, trust has always been the missing element in both directions. However, the brutal and pragmatic honesty presented by President Donald Trump has created a new map within engagement.
Do not discount how angry the system within Washington DC is about President Trump using executive emissaries, that are outside their control. Never underestimate the professional level of hatred carried by DC politicians toward President Trump on this issue alone. They despise his outmaneuvering.
When Mr. Witkoff is received by Russia, the statue of Witkoff as a person is framed around the respect that Russian leadership have for who Witkoff represents. He stands alone in the room but carries the weight of President Trump in all measures as reviewed by the Russian delegation. Quite remarkable.
Vladimir Putin held a meeting with US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Constantine Palace. On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev. Video and Transcript Below:
[Transcript] –President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Witkoff, we are delighted to see you – this time in St Petersburg.
We know that yesterday you had a meeting in Norway, and I would like to hear about its outcome.
I would like to thank you and President Trump for your attention to the resolution of the Ukraine crisis. I know that it is a special matter for President Trump, primarily for humanitarian reasons. In our conversations, including our most recent conversation over the phone, he emphasised the importance of ending this conflict to prevent further losses among the personnel on both sides.
Of course, it goes beyond military losses. The civilian population is suffering. In this regard, please pass my most sincere gratitude not only to the President but also to First Lady [Melania Trump] for her contribution to resolving humanitarian issues.
I believe both sides would be interested in discussing plans for restoring our bilateral relations, the Russia-US contacts, including economic cooperation.
If possible, of course, I am extremely interested in hearing your assessment of the situation in the Middle East and around Iran. You know that Russia has a special, trusted relationship with Iran, our partners in Iran and our friends, because this relationship has developed for decades. If we can do anything for settling this crisis, we will be glad to help. You are well informed about our proposals on this matter.
Indeed, these and other topics could be the focus of our exchange of views today, including a possible meeting in China. I also have some thoughts on this matter that I would like to share with you.
Please pass my most sincere words of gratitude to President Trump for his efforts in resolving the crisis in Ukraine.
Thank you.
US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff: Thank you, President Putin. So good to see you. Sorry, I’m not good with technology.
First of all, I want to thank you very much. The President sends his thanks. Our whole nation sends their thanks because of Steven Hubbard. Because of you, he is going home to his family.
I actually met with his son just the other day. He is a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. And he talked quite a bit about you. So the first thing I want to tell you is thank you.
Vladimir Putin: He is currently at Pulkovo Airport.
Steve Witkoff: Yes, we are going to meet him. He is a 75-year-old man. You talk so much about my President, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir. I salute that. I commend you, and I thank you again.
We have a lot to talk about today on our agenda. We have to talk about some of the meetings that happened yesterday in Oslo. I think they were productive, and I think there is some degree of momentum. And I hope that today can be another step forward in this peace process and discussing how we resolve the Ukrainian conflict.
I know the First Lady is grateful for being able to work on behalf of some of her humanitarian projects in the Russian Federation. I will extend to her your best wishes and blessings.
One thing that I hope to accomplish today is to have some good conversation between us about resumption, potentially, of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. I am hoping that you might consider that as the next step in the peace process, so we can begin to have technical teams discussing what are those next steps. I think that is important. I hope that even if we do not have a resolution today, if we just talk about it and sort of consider what that next step might be, I think that might be important, and I think the world is waiting for us to get there.
The business and economic cooperation between our governments is an example of what the possibilities are in the future. I think it has been really, really good dealing with Kirill.
(To Kirill Dmitriev:) You have been outstanding, Kirill, you really have, I think. Our Treasury Department is working with you now independently, and I think that is leading to a sense of what possibilities are between our two nations.
We even talk about it now openly with the Ukrainians, to give them some sort of sense about what the possibilities will be when this whole conflict is ended.
Your decision to remove the export controls on diesel oil from Russia and to sell not just to the United States but also to the world at large in the midst of this economic shock – I think that was a really important act on your part, sir. I know my President is deeply grateful for it, as are our farmers and other people, truckers, who use diesel and have been adversely affected by this diesel crisis, and people all over the world. So it is an example of us all working together. I want to say thank you too for that.
We have brought some papers for you to look at. They are really some ideas about the different elements of some sort of peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. And you will read them at your leisure later on. But Jared, who I think we will put on the phone shortly, also wants to say some things to you.
Vladimir Putin: With regard to diesel, prices on the global market fell immediately by 5–6 percent following the announcement by both sides that supplies would be delivered to the United States.
We are currently preparing shipments – several vessels, tankers. The first tanker, carrying 40,000 tonnes, will depart in two or three days, and the others will follow in succession. The only important thing now is to finalise the financial arrangements so that everything proceeds smoothly.
As for the farmers – I am aware of this, and President Trump even mentioned it during our telephone conversations – we could also supply fertilisers to the American market in large quantities.
We will discuss all these matters.
{END TRANSCRIPT}
President Putin
Or maybe it really is President Trump with a Mission Impossible face mask perfectly designed to appear as President Putin!
😉
Bidung had many face mask and doubles. Surely we jest. 😎
Took me a minute. … When I first read the title of this post I thought President Trump himself was in St Petersburg!
When I first saw the title I thought, did President Trump have this meeting in between rallies?
And if he had done so it would not have surprised me either.
Or it could be Sundance’s subtle way of saying that where ever Witkoff goes or whatever he says, it comes directly from and references President Trump thoughts–Therefore PT is in essence “there/present” with Witkoff.
Just a thought.
Nice table. I don’t suppose there was any dumb discussion or contention about its shape like there was before the Paris Peace Accords. Just get down to business without the distractions of unnecessary sycophants.
It is. It’s good to see a lighter shade of wood being used.
I pray that God is amongst all of these negotiations as this complete insanity needs to end. The destruction of life is appalling. 🙏🏻
This is monumental. The CIA has inadvertently changed the course of history in a positive way. NATO has become a quagmire; thir own worst enemy.
This is how diplomacy was conducted many years ago. The president’s ambassador would convey the president’s communications to foreign leaders directly. Foreign policy and statecraft has been corrupted and hijacked over the years by numerous interests external and hostile to the Chief Executive of the U.S. Secretary of State Rubio appears to be bright fellow and has a bird’s eye view of this historical change. Let’s hope that this long overdue change continues.
I won’t even pretend to understand the nuances of this meeting, but I love Trump’s outmaneuvering.
“I believe both sides would be interested in discussing plans for restoring our bilateral relations, the Russia-US contacts, including economic cooperation.”
translation: we’d like to make some trade deals.😁
“If we can do anything for settling this [Iran] crisis, we will be glad to help.”
translation: here’s what we can bring to the table.😉
“We will discuss all these matters.”
translation: yee haw!😂
Adults! And what a relief it is to have clear communication from them on a topic pivotal to global peace and cooperation.
The chaos and drama centered in Ukraine seems of their own construction, or have I taken a naive view of it? Complicating the scene is a mysterious history of deception and double-agent actions by multiple factions since the early 90’s. Ukraine is a splinter from the disaster that was the Soviet log and before all that was a rebellious foster child without a permanent home; the current war is nearly 5 years old and follows the European tradition of neighbors yelling at one another across a fence so it is no wonder observers are confused.
The diesel fuel arrangement is a major plus for world markets and a major prize in negotiations.
I found this comment oddly placed and oddly worded: “We have brought some papers for you to look at. They are really some ideas about the different elements of some sort of peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. And you will read them at your leisure later on. But Jared, who I think we will put on the phone shortly, also wants to say some things to you.” Between the lines content is always heavily coded but I read that as Money Money Money as much as new geographic boundary creation.
An alliance between Russia and the US would squeeze the chynna economic and social pimple further, possibly causing yet another “Peoples Revolution” or God forbid a “Cultural Cleansing”. Would chynna turn inward again and reinforce her domestic interests, or search for weak spots elsewhere (Africa comes to mind)?
Good questions. It’s always a quagmire of peace and war. Trust vs untrust.
In my opinion China will be the surprise in all of this.
The new thread that just got posted goes into more detail.
President Trump and President Xi understand business and respect each other.
Yes, I just saw that post.
If the Big Three align along mutual interests, where does that leave former NATO and izzlamic-invaded Europe? On the outs, it looks like.
Cooperation and mutually beneficial agreements are far superior to aggressive geographic takeover but also require a higher degree of intellect.
The EU and the London gang will be left out in the cold. The three countries will be able to dictate anything if their powers are brought together.
My layman’s fear in this is the future. If the US goes back to a left wing government administration then I don’t see much visibility. For this to really work we need more MAGA type administrations. 2028, 2032, and beyond that. They may not be carbon copies of Trump but at least we will be headed in the same general direction.
Fabulous.
” They despise his outmaneuvering.”
I stand in awe and complete amazement at how easily he accomplishes this. Hope he enjoys pissing them off as much as I enjoy watching him do it.
“We know you had a meeting in Norway and I would like to hear it’s outcome [to see how well our transcript matches your account]”
The Emissary – Trump Staffing 2025, August 1, 2024 | Sundance
“The “emissary” is the person who carries the word of President Trump to any person identified by President Trump. The emissary is very much like a tape recording of President Trump in human form. The emissary travels to a location, meets a particular person or group, and then recites the opinion of the President. The words spoken by the emissary, are the words of President Trump.
The IC [Intelligence Community] cannot inject themselves into this dynamic; that is why it is so valuable.”
“The emissary then hears the response from the intended person or group, repeats it back to them to ensure he/she will return with clarity of intent as expressed, and then returns to the office of the presidency and repeats the reply for the President. The emissary recites back exactly what he was /is told.”
“This process is critical when you understand how thoroughly compromised the full Executive Branch is. More importantly, this process becomes even more critical when you accept the Intelligence Community will lie to the office of the President to retain their position.”
“Read this next sentence slowly…. If the Senate confirms a director of an IC silo, then that director is demonstrably going to lie to the office of the President.”
******
Deep State Apoplectic with Trump’s Use of Emissaries to Deliver Results, December 22, 2025 | Sundance
“To put context to it, these creeps have had four years to strategize how to control Trump and manipulate policy, with their retention of all sorts of government agencies in alignment with the status quo. Yet, remarkably President Trump is dancing through their deep state minefield, while keeping dozens of plates spinning on sticks. The use of non-traditional emissaries is really making them angry.”
“As we shared in 2024, the use of emissaries outside the govt framework of traditional policy was going to be a key facet in any America First agenda. Steve Witkoff is an example, leading to the clutching of pearls on a scale we have never seen.”
Pray for Peace to stop the madness of all the conflicts Worldwide.
🙏✝️
This is what progress and mature geopolitical fence mending looks like.
Donald Trump is a peacemaker at heart. He isn’t looking to line his own pockets in the future (no matter how hard the Democrats try to deflect what they are doing onto him) and he truly wants peace, whether in Ukraine and Russia or in Iran and the rest of the Middle East. If only we had that sentiment amongst our other American politicians but I think the “let me get mine while the getting’s good” mentality is simply too ingrained in them. It is not only Democrats with this attitude, it belongs to the entirity of the Deep State.
Emissary is a much better word. Was it not the O who started the use of czars?
No.
Franklin Roosevelt had a War Production Czar
Richard Nixon has a Drug Czar
George W Bush had Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity Czars
0bummer had Auto Industry, Climate, and Ebola Response Czars
0.o
An emissary is not one of those faux “czars”. I find it somewhat humorous that the Deep State/Intelligence Cabal/Uniparty is pissed at PDJT for using Steve Witkoff for important matters, I am willing to bet that the DS/IC/U were perfectally fine with Harry Hopkins (Saint Franklin’s [Roosevelt] personal emissary).
Will headline be corrected
Or
Left as is for Splody Heads
It is a test to see who is paying attention.
Personal observations.
The news media never makes mention of Melania’s humanitarian work concerning the war.
President Putin seldom fails to mention it.
President Putin is shipping diesel without the financial arrangements being made beforehand.
Canada’s potash market is about to be lost to Russia.
“Executive emissaries”, reminded me of this gem.
This was always the way.
Excellent.
0.o
The anger in Washington and the level of hatred is not confined to DC, its EVERYWHERE! The fence sitters are jumping down, their beginning to realize they don’t make money in a fraud-less government. They’re joining the dumocrats to restore fraud waste and abuse. A TDS vaccine is needed, millions are going to need it.
Emissaries! The democrats should look no further than their idol FDR. Harry Hopkins was his emissary to Stalin and much more. Nobody ever voted for Harry Hopkins.
I am a history buff and therefore have read much over my nearly 88 years of breathing. As I recall, every time i read of a mention of his name, the word Communist was nearby.
Just sayin, no receipts.
Discussions about a peace process will be easier once Ukraine is defeated and its military can no longer mount organized resistance.
A war is only resolved when there is an obvious winner and loser.
After Germany and Japan were defeated, the discussions with the representatives of the losers went quickly and produced a workable resolution.
It must be arranged so that the people profiting from the war do not get to profit from the rebuilding after the war,otherwise that business model of destruction and replacement will be repeated.
Why are the Chinese involved all the sudden?
The bureaucracy exists to serve the elected President. If, individually or collectively, it fails in this duty, or worse, it subverts the elected head of the Executive Branch of our Federal Government … take out the trash.
PDJT used his four years in exile well, identifying the enemy within, and then who and what is useful to prevail in the mission of making America great.
How refreshing to know that there are adults in the room that can actually engage in logical discourse for the benefit of mankind, rare in recent years. There is hope for us.
Re: “The System”
There are trillions at stake, as Sundance is fond of saying. But, there are also careers hanging in the balance, as well as a world vision which is no longer useful in this day and age. And, I’m certainly not suggesting that the Russians have suddenly become all fuzzy and cuddly, like a basket full of kittens and puppies. lol
These people have a need for control, so that they can manifest their vision of the world into being. After all, Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia … and it needs to stay that way, eh? Ensuring that Russia remains hostile is easy enough to accomplish, all you need to do is to threaten to expand NATO and Bob’s your uncle! But, when the US shows the least bit of an inclination to not be hostile, then that is a bridge too far. Without that particular bogey man how do we justify: ridiculous defense spending, a massive War Department, USAID, color revelations, Radio Free XYZ, ridiculous spending on weapons contractors, strategists, think tanks, book deals … the list goes on and on! I’m not anti-defense, but we are all well acquainted with the empire building that goes on in the various government departments.
Being at war with Eastasia has become a multi-trillion dollar industry and it must be protected at all costs … even if that requires a kinetic exchange!
Your point is….?
Encouraging!
Peace Man to Man.
Not committees, staff-groups, functionaries, consultants, courtiers etc.