US-Rus talks leaked in bid ‘to derail peace plan’

A transcript of a mid-October phone call between US presidential envoy ‘Steve Witkoff and a senior Russian official has been leaked and published by Bloomberg, The report reveals their discussion of a Ukraine peace proposal that was later endorsed by US President Donald Trump.

- Agencies

According to Bloomberg, on October 14, in a phone call that lasted a little over five minutes, Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, suggested to Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide, that they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Putin should raise it with Trump.

Witkoff advised Ushakov on how the Russian leader should broach the issue with Trump. His guidance included suggestions on setting up a Trump-Putin call before Volodymyr Zelensky’s White House visit later that week and using the Gaza agreement as a way in.

“We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace and I'm thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” Witkoff told Ushakov, according to a recording of the conversation reviewed and transcribed by Bloomberg.

Asked about Witkoff's approach, Trump said he hadn't reviewed the call but that he heard it was a “standard negotiation”.

“He's got to sell this to Ukraine. He's going to sell Ukraine to Russia. That's what a dealmaker does,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

“You got to say, look, they want this, you got to convince them of this. I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, as each party has to give and take.”