Senior Trump administration officials are debating whether they should create a special envoy position to communicate with a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the ongoing Ukraine conflict, and possibly help negotiate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
“There is currently a discussion of the idea, but no final decisions have been made,” a senior State Department official told the Washington Examiner.
Should the administration proceed, the individual chosen would work closely with Vladislav Surkov, an influential Kremlin aide who has been heavily involved in discussions surrounding Russia’s military intervention in neighboring Ukraine.
Sources told Buzzfeed News, which first reported the possible appointment, that the special envoy would hopefully help resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea.
The idea was reportedly floated during President Trump’s White House meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last month, something a White House official declined to confirm.
“I would note that this administration is not going to be as prolific in the use of special envoys” as previous administrations, the official said. “That being said, this is one that does not appear to be off the table.”
Obama administration officials frequently corresponded with Surkov during the former president’s time in office, but Trump could face unique scrutiny for opening a direct channel with the Russian official due to worries about his administration’s alleged ties to Putin’s government.
A special envoy for Ukraine-Russia relations would not require a confirmation vote in the Senate.
