In late November, the Donald Trump administration abruptly resumed the peace talks process, presenting a 28-point “peace plan” and demanding that Ukraine accept it by November 27, 2025.
The key figures in this negotiation process were Dan Driscoll and Steve Witkoff. According to media reports, it was Witkoff, together with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who developed the controversial 28-point “peace plan.” And Driscoll was tasked by the White House to deliver the 28-point peace plan to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Initially, the peace talks were to be led by special envoy Keith Kellogg, a long-time supporter of Ukraine in Washington. But he was gradually removed from the process, and by early 2026 he will leave his post. The duties have been transferred to Steve Witkoff, Trump’s confidant, but now Dan Driscoll is rapidly taking over Witkoff’s role.
So let’s take a look at who Dan Driscoll and Steve Witkoff are, and what role they play in the “peace talks.”
Who is Daniel Driscoll?
Dan Driscoll is a lawyer, a former platoon leader in Iraq, and a military family member. He had no political experience, but his rapid career was secured by his close relationship with Vice President J.D. Vance, with whom he studied at Yale. It was Vance who personally swore him in. In addition, Driscoll actively participated in Vance’s campaign, which made him part of Trump’s narrow circle of trusted people.
Since February 2025, Dan Driscoll has headed the US Department of the Army – in fact, he manages everything related to the Army, reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense.
As Secretary of the Army, Driscoll controls budgets of almost $ 190 billion and manages more than a million military personnel and hundreds of thousands of civilian employees. He is responsible for weapons procurement, the operation of military bases and the development of military technology. His criticism of arms manufacturers for their inflated requirements and the promotion of commercial solutions in the military sphere have earned him the image of a “technological reformer”.
In the White House, Driscoll is considered a person for “delicate missions” – responsible, loyal and without reputational scandals, unlike Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He regularly works with the White House leadership, in particular during controversial decisions regarding the National Guard, and has the image of an effective “crisis manager”.
Who is Steve Witkoff?
Just as Jared Kushner once negotiated in the Middle East, now Trump has appointed another businessman close to him – Witkoff. They are connected by a long-standing friendship and shared experience in the real estate sector.
Stephen Charles Witkoff is an American billionaire, investor and developer, originally from New York. He has a law degree, started as a real estate lawyer. Steve Witkoff’s ancestors emigrated to the Bronx from the Russian Empire.
Later, he moved into real estate development and became a co-owner of a company that in the 1980s acquired thousands of apartments in New York. It was during this period that he met Donald Trump – according to legend, he treated him to a sandwich in a store. Trump remembered this meeting and later initiated their friendship.
Even before Trump’s inauguration, Witkoff joined the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas together with representatives of the Joe Biden administration. Successful participation in these negotiations only strengthened his position in Trump’s eyes.
After the victory, Trump announced that he was appointing him as special envoy for the Middle East.
Witkoff’s mission in Moscow and participation in the negotiations on Ukraine
On February 11, 2025, Witkoff arrived in Moscow, where he picked up American Mark Vogel, who had spent three years in a Russian prison, on his plane. According to Fox News, he also had a three-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin.
The media reported that Trump had secretly expanded Witkoff’s powers in advance, effectively appointing him responsible for establishing a negotiation channel with Russia on Ukraine. According to the president’s entourage, Witkoff has the “right skills” to help end the war.
It is known that he has already spoken with representatives of the Middle East and people from Putin’s entourage on the topic of Ukraine.
The day after his visit, Trump called Putin. After the conversation, the US president said that the parties had agreed to quickly start negotiations and confirmed that Witkoff would be part of the American team to resolve the conflict.
Witkoff advocates a softer approach to Moscow and believes that ending the war is possible through serious concessions from Russia, including territorial ones.
This approach contradicts the position of more traditional Republicans – Marco Rubio and Keith Kellogg. They call for tough action, distrust of the Kremlin, and preparation for stronger pressure on Russia.
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The peace process that Trump is trying to restart is increasingly dependent on two people who do not have classical diplomatic experience, but have direct access to the president – Dan Driscoll and Steve Witkoff.
Their appearance in the negotiations indicates a change in Washington’s approach: from traditional diplomacy to reliance on personal networks and informal channels. The outcome of this experiment will depend on whose course wins – the tougher Republican course or the softer one proposed by Witkoff. Ukraine, for now, remains the party that is being asked to respond to decisions that were actually made without it.
Anna Romaniv
