In a revealing development, President Donald Trump’s key intermediary with Russia, Steve Witkoff, reportedly advised a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin on how to approach Trump with a peace proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to a transcript published by Bloomberg News, Witkoff suggested during an October 14 call that Putin congratulate Trump on the Gaza ceasefire deal, express support for it, and emphasize Trump’s role as a peacemaker. This conversation occurred just before Trump announced that Witkoff would meet with Putin to discuss a ‘fine-tuned’ peace plan for Ukraine. The White House did not dispute the transcript’s authenticity, with Trump describing Witkoff’s approach as standard negotiation tactics. However, the report has drawn criticism from some U.S. lawmakers, including Republican Representative Don Bacon, who accused Witkoff of favoring Russian interests and called for his removal from the negotiations. The transcript also revealed that Witkoff proposed arranging a call between Trump and Putin before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s White House visit, with Putin congratulating Trump on the Gaza agreement as a starting point. The discussions come amid a broader debate over a leaked 28-point peace plan, which critics argue heavily favors Russian demands, including Ukraine ceding the Donbas region and reducing its military size. While the State Department declined to comment on the Bloomberg report, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the proposal was a U.S.-led effort with input from both Russia and Ukraine. As negotiations continue, Trump has hinted at a potential meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy, but only after further progress is made.
Report: US envoy coached Putin aide on how Russian leader should pitch Trump on Ukraine peace plan
