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Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are aiming to be Donald Trump's replacements in the 2028 election...
There is a whiff of internal rivalry surrounding the American delegation handling the peace negotiations in Ukraine. Some figures with big ambitions and others who have been sidelined. All seeking the same thing, more power.
The two main contenders, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aim to be Donald Trump's replacements in the 2028 elections, when the latter will not have the opportunity to run again. The 'war' between the two is taking place in every possible area, including peace negotiations in Ukraine.
But which key American figures are shaping the process?
-Vice President JD Vance
The US decision to place a missile under the umbrella of peace efforts in Ukraine appears to have JD Vance’s imprint on it. The territorial elements of the peace plan are almost identical to a proposal put forward by Vance in the summer of 2024, before Trump won the election.
Vance’s stance on Ukraine has always leaned toward questioning the purpose of it all. He led the attacks on Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February. Vance is almost certain to run for president in 2028. He knows that the MAGA base (which he will need in 2028) cares less about Ukraine and much more about domestic challenges. He wants the Ukraine issue to be over and fixed quickly.
He has recently made some not-so-subtle insinuations that President Trump should spend more time on the “home front.” He is also embroiled in a (surely soon-to-be-publicized) 2028 race rivalry with Marco Rubio. This is a context of vital importance.
-Secretary of State Marco Rubio
The rivalry between Rubio and Vance is obvious. It was always going to be a clash of personalities. Vance is the Appalachian boy leading America. Rubio is the more traditional neoconservative. President Trump publicly encourages this rivalry. "JD or Marco…?" he says often.
While the core of this peace plan bears the hallmarks of Vance, it is Rubio who is now in Geneva sorting out all the differences with the Ukrainians and the Europeans.
Rubio is also at the center of a debate over who actually wrote the plan. Senators say he told them it was a Russian plan, but then used social media to insist it was an American plan.
-Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll
Dan Driscoll has emerged as a key figure in this whole story, one to watch. As secretary of the Army, he is one of the most senior civilians in the Pentagon. He heads the Department of the Army, which is one of three military departments within the Department of War (formally the Department of Defense).
He is immediately below Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the hierarchy, but there is some speculation that he could replace Hegseth. He is close to JD Vance and Trump likes him. Surprisingly for a Trump official, he also enjoys bipartisan popularity. He was the one sent to present the 28-point plan to Zelensky in Kiev three days ago.
- Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff
Witkoff was the architect behind the Gaza peace plan. And while he has earned considerable respect among countries in the Middle East for it, there is deep concern about his abilities when it comes to Ukraine.
Critics suggest he has been naive and easily deceived by Putin and those around him. He reports directly to the president and often appears to be doing work that would normally be done by the secretary of state.
So it's important to note that on this occasion in Geneva, Rubio accompanied Witkoff. It's not clear how similar their views on Ukraine are.
-Outgoing envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg
The retired American general has been the envoy to Ukraine since Trump was re-elected. Respected by Zelensky and European countries, he has effectively been Trump's go-to man in Ukraine this year.
However, it was announced this week that he will resign in January. He has been increasingly sidelined in negotiations, and while he has a direct line to the president, he has struggled to gain support with Rubio. With his departure, Ukraine and Europe have lost an ally in the White House./ SkyNews
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