Rubio, Witkoff heading to France for talks on Ukraine, Iran and trade - POLITICO

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy tasked with ending the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, are expected to travel to Paris later this week, POLITICO reported citing two people familiar with preparations for the trip.

Witkoff is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron while Rubio will speak with his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, according to POLITICO.

According to a U.S. official who was granted anonymity by POLITICO because he was not authorized to speak to reporters, Rubio will be in Paris this week before heading to Africa.

An official familiar with preparations for the trip told POLITICO the two sides will discuss Ukraine, Iran and trade relations in the wake of Trump’s tariff threats.

Macron’s meeting with Witkoff comes only days after the envoy met Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible ceasefire.

The French president has been leading European efforts to provide Kyiv with security guarantees, including the deployment of a so-called reassurance force in Ukraine, in the event of a truce.