Trump Envoy Advised Putin on Strategy to Engage with U.S. President on Ukraine Peace Plan
A leaked transcript reveals that President Trump’s key liaison with Russia offered guidance to a top Putin aide on how to approach the U.S. president with a potential peace proposal for Ukraine.
A recently published transcript of a call from October 14th details how Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s chief interlocutor with the Russian government, advised Yuri Ushakov, a senior foreign policy advisor to Vladimir Putin, on securing a favorable discussion with the U.S. president regarding a peace plan to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The transcript, initially published by Bloomberg News, has ignited debate over the Trump administration’s approach to the war and the role of back-channel diplomacy.
According to the transcript, Witkoff suggested that Putin initiate a call with Trump to offer congratulations on the recently brokered Gaza peace deal, emphasizing Russia’s support for the agreement and expressing respect for Trump as a “man of peace.” “From that, it’s going to be a really good call,” Witkoff reportedly stated. This strategy, he implied, would lay the groundwork for a more receptive audience for a broader discussion on Ukraine.
When questioned by Russian state media regarding the authenticity of the recording, Ushakov did not deny its validity but asserted that the leak did not originate from Moscow. He further suggested the release was a deliberate attempt to damage U.S.-Russia relations, stating, “It’s unlikely this is being done to improve relations.” Ushakov also confirmed frequent communication with Witkoff, but declined to comment on the specifics of their conversations, characterizing them as “confidential.”
The Bloomberg report surfaced as President Trump announced that a proposal to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war had been “fine-tuned” and revealed plans to dispatch Witkoff to meet with Putin. Trump defended Witkoff’s reported approach as “standard” negotiating procedure, explaining, “He’s got to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what a dealmaker does.”
However, the transcript has drawn criticism from some members of Congress. U.S. Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican who has been vocal in his concerns about Trump’s policies toward Ukraine, condemned Witkoff’s actions, stating, “He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired.”
Bloomberg reported reviewing a recording of the call but did not disclose its source. The Associated Press has not independently verified the transcript’s accuracy. The call between Witkoff and Ushakov occurred shortly after Trump’s visit to Israel and Egypt, where he celebrated the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
During the call, Witkoff reportedly proposed that Putin reference a “very similar 20-point plan to peace” discussed with Witkoff and Ushakov, suggesting it could “move the needle a little bit.” He also advocated for a Trump-Putin call prior to a scheduled visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House, and suggested Putin’s congratulatory remarks on the Gaza agreement would serve as a positive opening. Ushakov agreed that Putin “will congratulate” Trump and characterize him as “a real peace man.”
Subsequent to these discussions, Trump and Putin did speak on October 16th, one day before Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy. Following the meeting with Zelenskyy on October 17th, Trump publicly stated that Ukraine and Russia should “stop where they are” on the battlefield, implying Ukraine should concede territory seized by Russia.
Further recordings reviewed by Bloomberg reveal a conversation on October 29th between Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, a close advisor to Putin on Ukraine, discussing the extent to which Moscow should press its demands in a prospective peace proposal. Dmitriev suggested informally conveying Moscow’s position, allowing for flexibility in negotiations. This exchange followed a series of meetings between Dmitriev, Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and advisor, focused on developing a 28-point peace plan.
The initial version of this plan, which became public last week, reportedly favored Russian demands, including the cession of the entire Donbas region to Russia and limitations on Ukraine’s military size. It also proposed a guarantee from Europe that Ukraine would never be admitted into the NATO military alliance.
In a statement, White House communications director Steven Cheung defended Witkoff’s actions, asserting that his frequent communication with officials in both Russia and Ukraine was consistent with his mandate to achieve peace. Dmitriev, however, dismissed the transcript as “Fake” on social media, claiming that “the closer we get to peace, the more desperate warmongers become.” The Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintained that the proposal originated in the United States, with contributions from both Russia and Ukraine, responding to concerns that the leaked plan heavily favored Russian interests. The State Department declined to comment on the Bloomberg report.
On Tuesday, Trump announced the deployment of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials alongside Witkoff’s meeting with Putin. He also indicated a potential future meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy, contingent on progress in negotiations. .
