Rubio, Witkoff heading to France for talks on Ukraine, Iran and trade
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US Secetary of State Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit France for talks with the French president and his foreign minister on talks regarding Ukraine and Iran.
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Witkoff, left, is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron while Rubio will speak with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. (Evelyn Hockstein/AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy tasked with ending the war in Ukraine and talks with Iran, are expected to travel to France later this week, according to people familiar with the trip.
Witkoff is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, while Rubio will speak with his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, before heading to Africa.
An official familiar with the trip said the discussions will focus on Ukraine, Iran, and trade ties, particularly in light of Trump’s global tariff initiative.
Macron’s meeting with Witkoff comes days after the envoy met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, to discuss a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine. The visit marks “another step in the negotiating process towards a ceasefire” despite Trump’s “frustration,” according to the White House press secretary.
The French president has been leading European efforts to provide Kiev with security guarantees, including the deployment of a so-called reassurance force in Ukraine, in the event of a truce.
Europe’s reassurance force in Ukraine to take shape in 3-4 weeks, says Macron https://t.co/ufoKhy3Pvh
— Financial Times (@FT) March 27, 2025
Following Witkoff's earlier visit to Moscow, a growing division within the Trump camp over US policy on Ukraine became evident. Witkoff proposed that Washington could help broker a ceasefire by formally acknowledging Russia's claim over four contested regions in Ukraine: Donetsk; Lugansk; Kherson and, Zaporozhye. This was met with strong opposition from Trump's team, particularly General Keith Kellogg.
While Trump did not endorse the plan, the conversation exposed a deepening rift within his administration, as many Republican lawmakers and European allies expressed concerns that such a concession could legitimize Russia’s territorial gains and weaken Western unity.
The visit marks the first time since February that top American officials have traveled to France, following US Vice President JD Vance’s attendance at an artificial intelligence summit.
Trump's 'fragile break' from tarrifs
Tariffs are set to be a major topic of discussion. Last week, Macron described Trump’s decision to pause the toughest tariffs for 90 days as a “fragile” break in ongoing tensions.
The US made its first major concession on April 9 in the trade war when Trump announced a 90-day suspension of import duties on all countries except China. The move, intended to ease global market tensions and in response to falling stock prices, includes a reduced 10% reciprocal tariff, down from previous rates of 20% on the EU, 24% on Japan, and 25% on South Korea, while Canada and Mexico still face tariffs of up to 25%.
Despite the pause, analysts say the damage was done as regional trade blocs in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, formed in response to the tariffs, and are likely to persist, reflecting a loss of trust in US economic leadership.
