Right after concluding the Gaza ceasefire talks in early October, Kushner said he planned to return to his family and work in Miami, where he runs the multibillion-dollar investment firm Affinity Partners.
Kushner, who previously served as a senior White House adviser during Trump’s first term, described his risky peace-building efforts as temporary. He even joked that his wife might change the locks if he didn’t get home soon.
Yet before October ended, Kushner was once again at the center of global diplomacy, this time working to advance negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Early last week, Kushner and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow for a five-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
They also negotiated directly with Ukraine’s delegation in Geneva, Switzerland, and in Florida, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before heading to Moscow. The two then held three more days of discussions with Ukrainian officials in Miami last weekend.
“At first, I was a little surprised to see Jared there, but later I appreciated his approach,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, a member of Ukraine’s negotiating team in Geneva.
Although Kushner no longer holds a formal government title, he has quietly operated behind the scenes—from Trump’s 2024 campaign all the way to his return to the White House.
“This is a conflict in urgent need of a solution, and I’m glad to be involved,” Kushner said of his role in the October Gaza talks. Trump previously explained Kushner’s presence by saying, “I bring Jared in because he is very smart, understands the region and its people, and knows many of the key players.”
According to White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, both Trump and Witkoff often seek Kushner’s input because “he has experience with complex negotiations.” Like Witkoff, Kushner serves as an informal, unpaid adviser and covers his own travel expenses.
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He can easily afford them. In September, Forbes reported that Kushner had reached billionaire status, with assets including ownership of Affinity Partners, a 20% stake in the family’s Kushner Companies, a $100 million home in Miami’s island district, as well as cash, art, and other investments.
Much of Affinity’s funding comes from sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar—relationships Kushner built during Trump’s first term. One of Affinity’s largest investments is in Israel-based insurance and asset-management firm Phoenix, where it is the largest shareholder.
Kushner has long faced questions about potential conflicts of interest stemming from his diplomatic and business ties with Middle Eastern governments. In an October interview with CBS alongside Witkoff, Kushner responded, “What some call conflicts of interest, Steve and I call experience and trusted relationships around the world. Without these relationships, the Gaza agreement would not have happened.”
Both Kushner and Witkoff say they bring agility and an unconventional style to negotiations. In discussions with Israel and Arab partners, Kushner emphasized reconstruction projects in Gaza and future economic benefits for all parties, according to people familiar with the talks.
Now, his next mission is to help end the war in Ukraine—one of the thorniest foreign-policy issues of Trump’s second term. One source said it was Witkoff who suggested Kushner join the Ukraine negotiations.
“Even though Kushner has limited experience with the region, his involvement is positive. Like Witkoff, he clearly has the president’s trust—an essential requirement for any negotiator,” said Philip Gordon, former national security adviser to ex–vice president Kamala Harris.
Despite the generational gap, Kushner and Witkoff share a close working relationship. Witkoff said in February that Trump’s son-in-law had “persuaded” him to take the envoy role. A person familiar with the pair said they frequently call each other to exchange ideas.
“I think I can help Steve, so I’m here to offer advice when needed,” Kushner said.
He was later brought in to help draft the Ukraine peace proposal. “He’s very good at this,” said one U.S. official. The new peace plan was shaped after discussions among Witkoff, Kushner, and Kirill Dmitriev—the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund RDIF and a top negotiator for Putin—during meetings in Miami Beach in November. Kushner reportedly first met Dmitriev in 2019 in Montreux, Switzerland.
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“I think Jared’s presence is extremely valuable, no matter how unconventional it may seem,” Kyslytsya said, noting that Kushner asked thoughtful questions and listened carefully. “I believe unconventional tools and methods are necessary.”
A senior European diplomat added that unlike Witkoff, Kushner took notes during the Geneva talks with Ukrainian officials, creating confidence that agreed points were being recorded and unresolved issues tracked.
The diplomat said Witkoff tended to push Ukraine to give up remaining territory in Donetsk for peace, whereas Kushner showed greater interest in Ukraine’s position and absorbed new information quickly.
“He is smart and empathetic,” another European diplomat remarked.