The Debate - Fighting for Trump's attention? Russia, Ukraine in rival bids to sway US mediators
France 24 Europe
by François PICARDFebruary 18, 2026
Call it speed dating diplomacy. In Geneva, real estate magnate Steve Witkoff playing lead U-S negotiator with Iran in one room while in another acting as broker for the hard bargaining between Russia and Ukraine. We’ll ask how the Ukranians feel about it, especially when the mediator’s boss piles on fresh pressure on them. And what about the Kremlin's envoy this time, a revisionist historian who spouts the greater Russia line of Vladimir Putin?
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Originally published on France 24 Europe on 2/18/2026