Diplomatic Efforts: Trump's Envoy Advises Putin on Ukraine Peace Plan
President Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how to approach President Trump with a peace plan for ending Russia's war in Ukraine. The advice was given during a call on October 14, as reported by Bloomberg News. The call transcript suggested that Putin should congratulate Trump on the Gaza peace deal and express Russia's support for it to set a positive tone for the conversation.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, did not question the authenticity of the recordings but denied that Moscow leaked them. He mentioned that the leaks could be an attempt to hinder U.S.-Russia relations. Ushakov stated that his conversations with Witkoff were confidential and refused to disclose their content. The White House did not dispute the transcript's accuracy, and Trump described Witkoff's approach as standard negotiation tactics.
The call between Witkoff and Ushakov took place after Trump's visit to Israel and Egypt to celebrate the Gaza ceasefire. Witkoff suggested a 20-point peace plan to Ushakov, proposing that Putin should congratulate Trump on the Gaza agreement as a starting point for discussions. The call also discussed setting up a call between Trump and Putin before Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to the White House.
Following the call, Ushakov spoke with Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Putin on Ukraine, about Moscow's demands in a potential peace proposal. Dmitriev indicated that Moscow would push for its demands but acknowledged that the final agreement might not align entirely with Russia's version. The discussions between Ushakov and Dmitriev occurred after Dmitriev's talks with Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Florida to create a peace plan framework.
The leaked peace plan, which was made public recently, raised concerns about its alignment with Russian interests and demands. The White House defended Witkoff's efforts, stating that he engages with officials from both Russia and Ukraine daily to pursue peace, as directed by President Trump. The State Department did not comment on the Bloomberg report, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the proposal was a collaborative effort involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine.
President Trump announced that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll would meet with Ukrainian officials while Witkoff engages with Putin. Trump hinted at a potential meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy once progress is made in negotiations. The developments surrounding the peace plan highlight ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.