Married to Ivanka Trump since 2009, Jared Kushner has long played a key role in carrying out the complex diplomatic tasks set by his father-in-law.
During Donald Trump's first presidential term, Kushner was at the center of his efforts to improve relations between Arab states and Israel. Recently, he was tasked with facilitating a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and now he must focus on ending hostilities in Donbas.
Kushner is involved in one of the most complex diplomatic processes of Trump's second term, where the goal is to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, which is part of the president's strategy to replicate the success achieved in Gaza.
The 20-point plan, named after the U.S. president, led to a temporary cessation of conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the release of Israeli hostages. After this agreement was reached, Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, and Kushner began working on issues related to Ukraine. Their collaboration included preparing an initial draft that raised concerns among European allies of Kyiv, as it was perceived as close to Russia's demands, which could lead to capitulation.
Next week, this diplomatic tandem may travel to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin to "finalize" the peace plan, as Trump stated. This will be Witkoff's first meeting with the Russian president in the Kremlin alongside another Trump envoy.
Despite limited experience in the region, Kushner's involvement is seen as an advantage. Philip Gordon, who previously served as a national security advisor in Kamala Harris's administration, noted: "Like Witkoff, he enjoys the president's trust, which is essential for successful negotiations." He also emphasized that Kushner has diplomatic experience, which Witkoff may lack.
Kushner and Witkoff, long-time friends and Trump golf partners, have different backgrounds but are in close contact. Recently, Witkoff mentioned that it was Kushner who convinced him to take the position of Trump's envoy. According to sources, they often communicate, sharing ideas.
Trump trusts his son-in-law's diplomatic skills, stating: "We always invite Jared when we need to make a deal." He said this in October while Kushner was observing his speech in the Israeli parliament, adding: "Sometimes we need his mind."
Kushner's strategy applied in Gaza serves as a model for the Trump administration's peace efforts in the context of Ukraine.
Gordon emphasized that there are "more differences than similarities" between the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine; however, in his opinion, the approach of drafting a plan and proposing it remains relevant.
A recent leak of a transcript of a conversation between Witkoff and Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov showed that the administration is trying to apply a similar approach to Ukraine as it did in Gaza.
"Maybe we will draft a peace plan of 20 points, as we did in Gaza," Witkoff stated in the conversation, the transcript of which was obtained by Bloomberg. FT has not verified the authenticity of the transcript.
Kushner has been brought in to help formulate key points. "He excels at this task and knows how to articulate his thoughts clearly," noted one American official.
Kushner and Witkoff received information from Russian representatives, including Kirill Dmitriev, the director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which raised certain concerns in European capitals.
Dmitriev, a Harvard Business School graduate, has known Kushner since the first Trump administration. They met in 2019 in Montreux to discuss diplomatic issues in the Middle East.
The approach to the latest peace plan has raised concerns that Trump is once again entrusting crucial geopolitical matters to his close associates, including family.
"There is no longer an official mechanism for policy coordination... It all comes down to personal connection-based politics," noted a former U.S. Department of Defense official.
