Iran’s nuclear deal may influence future of Ukraine-U.S. diplomatic ties

The author of the Resurgam Telegram channel discussed the issue.

Steve Witkoff’s involvement in the “Ukrainian track” stemmed from U.S. efforts to link negotiations on Ukraine with Moscow’s promise to mediate and exert pressure on Iran. As the official overseeing the Middle East, he became the main channel between Washington and the Kremlin, likely legitimizing the linkage after early contacts with Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev. 

Centering talks around Witkoff and Moscow’s promises proved shortsighted, making the U.S. reputationally dependent on Russia or forced to acknowledge a strategic mistake.

On day 137, Trump still has no concrete foreign policy achievements: the war in Ukraine rages on, the Israel–Hamas deal remains uncertain, and Iran has rejected the nuclear agreement despite U.S. threats.

Trump is now asking Putin to fulfill a confirmed earlier promise to pressure Iran as a mediator — a commitment Moscow made even before the Saudi Arabia meeting.

“We also discussed Iran, and the fact that time is running out on Iran’s decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly! I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement. President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion,” Trump wrote.

However, there is a hidden opportunity for Ukraine. The deeper U.S. foreign policy falls into humiliation before Putin, the stronger and more effective the eventual return to a “normal” stance will be, likely shaped by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senator Lindsey Graham. 

Iran has already rejected the nuclear deal, but Trump is likely to wait until mid-June, hoping Putin will “save” the agreement. If not, Graham’s plan, controversial but potentially impactful, will come into play, shaping the future course of events.