Scoop: Trump’s special envoy for Russia Steve Witkoff has a serious conflict of interest: business dealings with a man sanctioned by Ukraine for 10 years. Len Blavatnik is a longtime business partner of Witkoff’s, and made his money in post-Soviet Russia. - ThreadSky

About ThreadSky

timkmak.bsky.social • 63 days ago

Scoop: Trump’s special envoy for Russia Steve Witkoff has a serious conflict of interest: business dealings with a man sanctioned by Ukraine for 10 years.

Len Blavatnik is a longtime business partner of Witkoff’s, and made his money in post-Soviet Russia.

Comments

timkmak.bsky.social•63 days ago

Steve Witkoff, appointed as Trump’s special envoy, has repeatedly shown not just an affinity for Moscow but has openly stated that he “spent a lot of time talking and developing a friendship and relationship” with Putin — a dictator responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians.

timkmak.bsky.social•63 days ago

After a meeting with Putin, he told Trump that the fastest way to a ceasefire would be to give four Ukrainian territories to Russia, Reuters reported – views that drew direct condemnation from Ukraine’s president last week.

timkmak.bsky.social•63 days ago

"I think Mr. Witkoff has chosen to follow the strategy of the Russian side. I see this as extremely dangerous because he — whether consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know — is spreading Russian narratives. In any case, this does not help,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 17.

timkmak.bsky.social•63 days ago

But what has gone under the radar is that Witkoff has personal stakes at play, as he has business ties to Leonard (‘Len’) Blavatnik, an influential businessman with a significant relationship in Kremlin circles – and was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2023.

timkmak.bsky.social•63 days ago

Blavatnik, who became a U.S. citizen in 1984 and later also held U.K. citizenship, built his fortune during Russia’s large-scale privatization period, shortly after the USSR collapsed.

timkmak.bsky.social•63 days ago

Witkoff’s connections to Blavatnik raises an important question: can someone genuinely serve as a fair-minded peace negotiator when their business partner has ties to Russian oligarchs?

Posting Rules

Be respectful to others
No spam or self-promotion
Stay on topic
Follow Bluesky's terms of service

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply