Transcript: Steve Witkoff on

The next is the transcript of an interview with Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s envoy to the Center East, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 16, 2025.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to President Trump’s Particular Envoy to the Center East, Steve Witkoff, who joins us this morning from Miami Seashore. Welcome again to “Face the Nation,” Ambassador.

SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST STEVE WITKOFF: Thanks. Thanks, Margaret. Thanks for having me.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you simply heard Secretary of State Rubio speak about these efforts to dealer a ceasefire. You have been the person face-to-face with Vladimir Putin. I’m wondering what your reply to the query is, in regard as to if it is a delay tactic or whether or not Vladimir Putin is honest in searching for a ceasefire?

STEVE WITKOFF: Properly, I used to be there for fairly a while, Margaret, and I agree with the Secretary’s evaluation. We made numerous progress in that assembly. It was a gathering that was- it may have been so long as 4 hours, but it surely was definitely a minimum of three. We talked about numerous specifics, and I level to the massive hole that existed between Ukraine and Russia previous to the inauguration, and the place we’re right this moment. We’ve got narrowed the problems between each of those events, making numerous progress, in my view, and I believe that assembly underscores that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So I heard you say on one other program this morning that you simply do anticipate presidents Trump and Putin to talk this week. Is {that a} choice making name, or is that this simply subsequent steps?

STEVE WITKOFF: Properly, I’d- I’d assume that, you understand, they have- they’ve a real- they’ve an actual relationship from the president’s first time period. They’ve talked already, after the primary go to that- that I had with President Putin. And I believe that is going to be a really optimistic and constructive name between the 2 males, between the 2 presidents.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And selections will probably be made on whether or not to maneuver ahead with this 30-day ceasefire that the U.S. and Ukraine have agreed to, however Russia, a minimum of publicly, has not?

STEVE WITKOFF: Properly, President Trump is the final word choice maker, our choice maker. And President Putin, for the nation of Russia, is their choice maker. I believe it is a very optimistic signal that the 2 of them will probably be speaking sooner or later. I believe that’s- that is exhibiting that there is optimistic momentum, that there is a- an inclination on- on the a part of each international locations, and by the way in which, this contains Ukraine as effectively, to get to a long run, sturdy peace right here.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, France’s President publicly mentioned yesterday that, in his nation’s view, Russia just isn’t real in searching for peace. They’re intensifying the preventing. We noticed Vladimir Putin on tv this week wearing navy fatigues. He made public feedback about desirous to resolve root causes of the struggle. How completely different was his message in personal?

STEVE WITKOFF: Properly, I- look, I do not- I do not know what President Macron mentioned. I believe it is unlucky when individuals make these kind of assessments, they usually do not have, essentially, firsthand information. However I am not going to touch upon what he mentioned, as a result of I do not know what he mentioned. I do know what I heard, the physique language I witnessed. I noticed a constructive effort over an extended time frame to- to debate the specifics of what is going on on within the subject. There is a 2,000 kilometer border between these two international locations, and they’re facing- capturing one another and going through one another throughout that 2,000 mile border. That is a really, very, sophisticated ceasefire, and but everyone is dedicated to have that dialogue. Right here we’re, within the throes of getting that dialogue, with the Russians speaking about sending technical groups, the USA, sending technical groups, a gathering in Saudi Arabia with our Nationwide Safety Advisor, Mike Waltz, and Secretary of State Rubio that had numerous positivity hooked up to it, my assembly, which I- I regard as promising. I believe these are all very, excellent developments, and hopefully inform on the opportunity of a close to time period peace settlement.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So past the ceasefire, a peace settlement, you are already speaking about technicalities by way of territory that might be given up? 

STEVE WITKOFF: Properly, I- what I- what I am saying, the technical- what I am saying is {that a} ceasefire includes learn how to get individuals to not be preventing with one another over a 2,000 kilometer border. That is- that is 1,200 miles.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.

STEVE WITKOFF: Nor does that embrace a primary space of confrontation, which is Kursk. And so there’s completely different battlefield circumstances. We have to debate that. There are areas that everyone knows the Russians are centered on. There’s a nuclear reactor that provides fairly a little bit of electrical energy to- to the nation of Ukraine. That is bought to be handled. There’s entry to ports. There’s the Black Sea potential settlement, there’s- there’s just- there’s so many components, Margaret, to the implementation of a ceasefire right here, and I evaluate it typically to Gaza. Gaza is a finite, outlined, area, as in comparison with the- the battle- the place the battle is being fought, in Ukraine, Russia. So it is a far more sophisticated scenario, and but nobody is throwing their palms up within the air. What they’re doing is, they’re digging in, and everyone is dedicated, all stakeholders, together with the Europeans, to doing the whole lot we have to do to get to a profitable decision right here.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You talked about Gaza. I need to ask you what specifics you’re looking at in terms of relocating the two million Palestinians in Gaza. Prior to now, you’ve got talked about Egypt, you’ve got talked about Jordan. Are you speaking to different international locations at this level about resettling?

STEVE WITKOFF: I imply, I believe we’re exploring, Margaret, all options and choices that results in a greater life for Gazans. And, by the way in which, for the individuals of Israel. So we’re exploring all of these issues. However proper now, what’s proper in entrance of us, is coming to some kind of decision on this battle. And the current expertise that we had on the Arab Summit, the place we spent seven and a half hours with leaders of assorted Arab international locations, the current expertise we had with Hamas’ response was not encouraging. Now to me, we put a really smart proposal on the desk that was meant as a bridge to get to a closing dialogue and closing decision right here, that might have integrated some kind of demilitarization of Hamas, which should occur. That is a purple line for the Israelis. And perhaps may have led to a long run peace decision right here. And but Hamas- Hamas got here up with their very own assemble, primarily disavowed what we mentioned, and to my thoughts, that was a fairly poor ending, and I- I hope they rethink, as a result of the choice just isn’t so good for them.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. Ambassador Witkoff, thanks to your time right this moment. We’ll be again with extra “Face the Nation.”