NBC News: There's a non-public rivalry between Witkoff and Rubio over negotiations

Between the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the special representative of the American president Steve Witkoff there is a non-public competition in the context of negotiations on the settlement of Russia's war against Ukraine. This was reported by the channel NBC News citing unnamed interlocutors among former and current US and European officials.

Rubio was scheduled to participate in peace talks with Ukrainian officials in Switzerland, but Witkoff left early in what some officials believe was an attempt to get ahead of him, according to two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the situation.

Three interlocutors noted that the US President's envoy Donald Trump did not inform Rubio and other State Department officials of his plans. This was seen as an attempt to allow Witkoff to negotiate with Ukraine as he saw fit.

Rubio eventually made it to Geneva, taking away Witkoff's ability to meet with the Ukrainian delegation without him.

This was not the first time that U.S. officials viewed Witkoff's actions as an attempt to circumvent Rubio. This episode, which was not previously reported, is the latest example of a long-running rift between two senior Trump administration officials who have different views on how to end the war and how much the United States should trust Russia's promises, the article says.

In an effort to get a deal done as soon as possible at Trump's behest, Vitkoff has pushed for proposals that make Ukraine responsible for making concessions, ceding territory, and accepting risks to its future security. Rubio and some other administration officials have advocated increasing economic and military pressure on Russia to force the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to make concessions and ensure a secure future for Ukraine – a view shared by America's European allies.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott denied speculation that Rubio and Witkoff had not reached an agreement.

"There is no disagreement between them, and there never has been. Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Witkoff have a close working relationship and are personal friends. They both fully share the President's goals and each will realize President Trump's vision of ending the war and achieving peace in full cooperation," he said.

Rubio himself made a similar assessment at a briefing on Friday.

"No one is acting independently. It's all strictly coordinated," he said.

The Secretary of State described Witkoff as "a phenomenal person, very smart, very talented," who "doesn't get paid for this work."

However, some current and former U.S. officials have concerns about Witkoff that go beyond his actions in negotiating to end the war. According to the five interlocutors, he is seen as lax in security matters, raising concerns about his use of unsecured communications equipment that could leave him vulnerable to eavesdropping by foreign agents.

However, the White House denied this information. They said that Witkoff's phone, residence, and cars are regularly checked by the diplomatic security service.

Now Witkoff has another key player on his side – Trump's influential son-in-law Jared Kushner who accompanied him on his recent trip to Moscow. Although he does not hold an official government position, Kushner carries weight in Trump's eyes and played a significant role in reaching the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The article says that for critics in Congress and Europe, as well as for skeptics within the administration, Witkoff is an amateur in the diplomatic arena who is too willing to take Russia's claims at face value.

"He is a gift to the Russians," said one member of Congress.

At the same time, for Trump, he is a personal friend and a skillful negotiator with a "great personality" who can resolve any dispute.

The channel also talked about a "revealing episode" in France regarding the competition between Rubio and Witkoff.

In April, the Secretary of State was supposed to fly to Paris for peace talks. But before he left, his team learned that Witkoff had arranged a personal meeting with the French president Emmanuel Macronthe three interlocutors said.

Rubio asked to be allowed to join the meeting, but the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Witkoff had to give his consent to this change. This was a humiliating turn of events for Rubio, whose aides had been trying to reach the envoy for a long time.

Eventually, the head of diplomacy tracked down Witkoff, who allowed him to attend the meeting. As a result, Rubio did meet with Macron face-to-face during the trip, according to his public schedule.

Late last month, a few days after the Geneva talks, Witkoff organized a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Florida. Rubio only learned of the planned meeting when the Ukrainians asked his team about it, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the incident.

A senior administration official said: "It's pretty clear that Rubio has been excluded from this. He's supposed to be the one who's going to be leading this."

In addition to disagreements over peace efforts, Witkoff has been at odds with Rubio and State Department officials over how he provides security, especially during his trips to Russia.

According to two U.S. officials and a senior administration official, since the beginning of the administration, Witkoff and State Department officials have been at odds over secure communications on his private jet and security for the aircraft.

According to three U.S. officials, some administration officials privately questioned the wisdom of Witkoff using his own plane when the government fleet is available for diplomats on foreign assignments.

The lack of secure communications on board Witkoff's plane raised alarms at the State Department. A high-level review was conducted, leading to a concerted effort to provide additional security for Mr. Witkoff.

As a result, the State Department provided Witkoff with a secure mobile communication system for use on the plane. However, concerns persist that he is not always using the secure government communication system.

• In November, Rubio called the article a fake that the Trump administration has two diametrically opposed approaches to resolving Russia's war against Ukraine. The article referred to a split between US officials. One group is allegedly led by Rubio, and the other by Vance.