Could Naftali Bennett run the Ukraine negotiations?

Reports are swirling of split opinion in the Trump administration on best next steps in Ukraine.

NBC on Wednesday reported:

Split in the Trump administration
Trump’s advisers and Cabinet members are split over how much pressure to bring to bear, with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Ukraine Envoy Keith Kellogg wanting to use American leverage to prod Putin to stand down.

And:

Others favor cutting back the billions of dollars in assistance the US gave to Ukraine in the Biden administration as a way of forcing a swift end to the conflict. Critics of that approach say it would effectively disarm Ukraine and thus amount to a capitulation to Russia.

On the side of putting further sanctions on Russia, Lt. General Kellogg (Presidential Envoy to Ukraine) told Fox News last Friday:

Let’s look at the recent sanctions. If you go on a gradient of 1–10, I think when it comes to the sanctions, we’re probably only at a six. But the enforcement is only at about a three... These are the kinds of things we’re looking at, talking about. How do we apply pressure not only to the Russians – and incentives as well – but also to the Ukrainians?

Is there a figure who could harmonize both sides (of the US team), and bring out the best of both?

Here’s my personal pitch… The figure to do this is Israeli.

• He’s a very successful businessperson – and co-founded a company that was acquired for $145m. He understands negotiation in an Art of the Deal-like way.

• He’s a lethal former Special Forces soldier for the IDF/Maglan, winning awards for personally taking out Hezbollah terrorists. He would command respect from unruly militias – a key failure of the 2014 Minsk accords.

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