White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
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White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo

The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Adam Boehler to serve as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the White House said on Saturday.
Boehler, who has been working to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, will continue hostage-related work as a so-called "special government employee," a position that would not need Senate confirmation.
"Adam Boehler will continue to serve President Trump as a special government employee focused on hostage negotiations," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
"Adam played a critical role in negotiating the return of Marc Fogel from Russia. He will continue this important work to bring wrongfully detained individuals around the world home."
A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Boehler withdrew his nomination to avoid divesting from his investment company. The move was unrelated to the controversy sparked by his discussions with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"He still has the utmost confidence of President Trump," said the official.
"This gives me the best ability to help Americans held abroad as well as work across agencies to achieve President Trump’s objectives," Boehler told Reuters in a brief statement.
Boehler recently held direct meetings with Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza. The discussions broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups that the US brands as terrorist organizations.
The talks angered some Senate Republicans and some Israeli leaders. According to Axios, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer expressed his displeasure to Boehler in a tense phone call last week.



Ukraine Can Achieve Just and Lasting Peace Under Trump, Says Foreign Minister 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attends Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India, March 18, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attends Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India, March 18, 2025. (Reuters)
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Ukraine Can Achieve Just and Lasting Peace Under Trump, Says Foreign Minister 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attends Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India, March 18, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attends Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India, March 18, 2025. (Reuters)

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Tuesday that Kyiv was not the obstacle for a peace deal with Russia and believes it can achieve just and lasting peace under the leadership of US President Donald Trump.

Ukraine was waiting for clarity to emerge on the peace process after the conversation between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, expected later on Tuesday, Sybiha said during an annual geopolitical conference in New Delhi.

Trump has been trying to get Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has also consistently said Ukraine's sovereignty is not negotiable and that Russia must surrender the territory it has seized.

"We are not the obstacle to achieving peace ... we really expect from Russian side unconditional yes for ceasefire," Sybiha said during a panel discussion.

Trump said he would speak to Putin on Tuesday morning about ending the Ukraine war, with territorial concessions by Kyiv and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant likely to feature prominently in the talks.

Trump, who as the presidential candidate promised to end the war in a swift 24 hours, faces a tough negotiator in Putin, who Zelenskiy has argued does not abide by agreements.

Sybiha accused Moscow of not wanting to end the war, adding that Ukraine will never recognize any of its territories occupied by Russian forces.

"Our approach: now is a time for diplomacy, for a strong diplomacy," he said. "We also really believe that with leadership of President Trump we could achieve long-lasting, just peace."

Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been the target of large-scale attacks since Russia's invasion in 2022, resulting in blackouts and freezing conditions for millions of people.

Ukraine has retaliated by launching long-range drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, pumping stations and ports used for oil and gas exports.