WASHINGTON – Steve Witcoff, a senior adviser and assistant to President Donald Trump, who is heavily involved in global peace negotiations, provided insights exclusively to Breitbart News at the White House last week.
His remarks came as the conclusion of a unique interview with Breitbart News, just ahead of his trip to the Middle East. Trump is visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, engaging with various Arab leaders, including the new leader of Syria. Witcoff accompanied Trump on this journey, and over the weekend, he met with Iranian representatives in Oman to discuss the fourth round of talks. He might step away from his travels this week to oversee peace discussions between Russia and Ukraine. Trump hinted he might even make a surprise appearance to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This last segment of Witcoff’s exclusive insights zeroed in on Trump’s attempts to further his notable diplomatic accomplishments from his first term, where he succeeded in persuading multiple Arab nations to formally normalize relations with Israel for the first time in decades. The Abraham Agreement has remained stalled since Trump’s initial tenure, even as a new nation joined during President Joe Biden’s administration, which faced various challenges. However, now that Trump is back in a position of influence, Witcoff mentioned that significant energy and involvement might return.
“There’s a lot of energy,” he stated. “We really focus on the positives. Everyone’s caught up in these ‘big deals’—Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Gaza—but we’re pushing hard to bring countries into the Abraham peace agreement.”
Witcoff expressed surprise that nations like Lebanon, where Hezbollah operates, and Syria, under a Muslim leadership, would consider joining the Abraham Accords, especially after the recent overthrow of the previous regime led by Bashar al-Assad. He also saw Libya, Armenia, and Azerbaijan as potential partners.
“I believe Lebanon and Syria could normalize relationships fairly quickly,” Witcoff noted. “We received a strongly positive response from them. There’s potential in Libya too. Talking about integrating these countries into the Abraham peace agreement seems feasible, especially for Azerbaijan and Armenia, which are nearing reconciliation. We have a solid team working on this.”
The remaining candidates to join the Abraham Accords include Saudi Arabia. Major Gulf powers have previously hesitated to engage, and Trump’s current visit has yet to catalyze any deals. Nonetheless, Witcoff confirmed that discussions with Saudi Arabia are ongoing, aligning Trump’s vision for peace with a broader strategy to strengthen positions against the Chinese Communist Party. One of the key initiatives Trump has emphasized is creating a trade corridor from India through the Middle East to Europe—often referenced as the trade corridor to the U.S. This agreement includes both Saudi Arabia and Israel, making it crucial for Trump to effectively counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, thereby fostering normalized Israeli-Saudi relations.
“It’s all interconnected,” Witcoff emphasized. “If Saudi Arabia commits to the Abraham peace agreement, then it aligns with their goals. I believe they will consider this, but there’s the issue of Gaza that needs resolution for full normalization. We’re engaging with them and the Gulf Cooperation Council. This trip is important because we believe it facilitates what we call the Apothesis in GCC. I admire that concept and think our administration is taking significant steps forward with this initiative.”
