Steve Witkoff, the newly appointed US special envoy for the Middle East, held a closed-door briefing with members of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, addressing a range of global issues including the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to diplomats who attended the meeting.
The informal talks in New York came just one day after Witkoff was officially sworn into the role by President Donald Trump. During the ceremony, Trump hinted at a forthcoming “very, very big announcement” to be made ahead of his planned visit to several Middle Eastern countries next week, though he did not provide specifics.
Witkoff, a billionaire real estate magnate and long-time ally of Trump, has quickly taken on key diplomatic responsibilities. He is currently serving as the lead US negotiator on several pressing international matters, such as the Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and Iran’s nuclear activities.
Following the private UN meeting, ambassadors from the Security Council’s 14 other member states declined to elaborate on Witkoff’s comments, citing the confidential nature of the discussions. Pakistani Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the meeting was classified, while Panama’s Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba described the session as “very interesting” and confirmed that it covered more than just Gaza.
Since Trump’s return to the White House in January, the United States has not had a permanent ambassador to the United Nations, a gap some diplomats say has made it harder to follow Washington’s diplomatic priorities.
In addition to the UN briefing, Witkoff also held bilateral talks with Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon, who described the meeting as an “important discussion about regional issues” and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to working closely with the US.