Was Trump’s peacemaker sent on a secret mission to Russia?

On February 11th, reports began to emerge that suggested a private plane connected to President Donald Trump’s United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff landed at an airport outside of Moscow. 

Evidence to support the claim came from flight data showing that a Gulfstream G650ER social media sleuths believe may be connected to Witkoff landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport, Newsweek reported. 

"A Gulfstream G650ER Business Jet which departed yesterday from Washington D.C. and is claimed to be owned by Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East and Close-Aide to U.S. President Trump, has entered Russian Airspace and is approaching Moscow," wrote the open-source intelligence monitor OSINTdefender on X.

Photo Credit: X @sentdefender/ via Flightradar

According to the Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti, the Gulfstream G650ER departed from Washington and landed at Vnukovo Airport at 10:17 local time. No details about the flight’s departure or destination were available. 

“Reports of the jet's arrival in Russia's capital added fuel to speculation that Trump could soon attempt to broker peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow in the ongoing war,” Newsweek’s Isabel van Brugen explained. 

Trump campaigned on the promise that he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. It was a promise he didn’t keep but he has continued to pressure Russia and Ukraine to cut a deal and end the conflict. 

Newsweek also reported that when Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov was asked about the possibility of Witkoff being present in Russia, Peskov replied: "No, we have no information.” He added no contact had been planned with Witkoff. 

The Kremlin Press Secretary added there were no discussions set “regarding a Ukraine settlement.” Newsweek added that it was still unclear if the plane that landed belonged to Witkoff. However, if it did, and Witkoff was in it, it could be significant. 

Steve Witkoff isn’t a diplomat but he is the man Trump chose to be in the room during negotiations between Israel and Hamas under his administration. NBC News reported Witkoff is a New York real estate mogul who helped forge the recent peace in Gaza. 

NBC News reported that a person familiar with the peace discussions between Israel and Hamas noted Witkoff brought “a new energy and a new dynamic” to the negotiations. “He’s very much engaged and his heart is in the right place.”

Whether or not Witkoff is in Moscow to help bring his newfound diplomatic prowess to ending the conflict in Ukraine is unknown. But if it is true, it could be a step in the right direction and the beginning of a negotiated peace. 

On February 9th, Reuters reported Trump claimed he was making progress with Putin on peace but declined to discuss the details of their private phone conversations while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

“If we are talking, I don’t want to tell you about the conversations,” Trump explained. “I do believe we’re making progress. We want to stop the Ukraine-Russia war,” Trump continued before adding: "We're talking to both sides.”

On February 5th, Ukrainska Pravda reported that Dmitry Peskov revealed that Russian agencies had been in contact with the Trump administration. "I can say the following," Peskov told reporters, "there is indeed contact through individual agencies. There has been more of it lately. I cannot say any other details."

Another reason for Witkoff’s possible presence in Moscow could have nothing to do with Ukraine. Witkoff could be in Russia to discuss the situation in Gaza. Other events on February 11th also fueled speculation about Witkoff’s possible visit.

Newsweek noted that the US Ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Minister Sergei Ryabkov on February 11th about Russian institutions abroad. 

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