'Ask Putin to say…': Witkoff caught on call ‘guiding’ Russia on how to sell Ukraine deal to Trump

Key Concepts

• Peacemaking Efforts: Donald Trump's self-proclaimed role as a global peacemaker, claiming to have ended eight wars and working on a ninth.
• Trump-Putin Dynamics: The complex relationship between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, characterized by Trump's attempts to influence Putin and Putin's resistance to being easily controlled.
• Steve Witkoff's Role: Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his alleged involvement in coaching Russian officials on how to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
• Leaked Phone Call: A leaked transcript of a phone call between Witkoff and Yuri Ushakov (Putin's aide) detailing a strategy for appealing to Trump.
• Gaza Peace Deal: The recent Gaza ceasefire deal, which Witkoff suggested Russia use as a talking point to engage Trump.
• Ukraine Peace Deal Strategy: Witkoff's advice to Ushakov on how to frame the conversation with Trump, emphasizing Trump's role as a peacemaker and suggesting a "20-point plan."
• Donetsk and Land Swaps: Potential components of a peace deal, including the surrender of Donetsk and land swaps.
• Zelenskyy's White House Visit: The upcoming visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House and its timing relative to potential Trump-Putin discussions.
• Trump's 28-Point Peace Proposal: A peace proposal revealed by Trump that reportedly aligns with Russian demands, including the surrender of Donbas, military scaling back, and no NATO membership for Ukraine.
• Russian Response to Leak: Ushakov's non-denial of the transcript's authenticity but denial of Russian involvement in the leak, emphasizing the confidential nature of discussions.
• Bipartisan Criticism: Concerns from some Republicans that Trump's peace plan is too favorable to Russia.
• Trump's Defense of Witkoff: Trump's characterization of Witkoff's actions as "standard negotiating practice" and a "dealmaker's" approach.
• Negotiation Tactics: The emphasis on praise and positive framing to influence Trump.
• Human Cost of War: The significant number of soldier deaths in the Ukraine conflict (25,000 in the last month mentioned).
• Strategic Considerations: The difficulty of drawing borders through populated areas and the potential for Russia to gain more territory if the war continues.
• European Involvement: The role of Europe in providing security guarantees for Ukraine.
• Witkoff's Upcoming Meeting with Putin: The planned meeting between Witkoff and Putin in Moscow.
• Concessions: The idea that Russia's main concession is stopping the fighting and not taking more land.
• Trump's Perspective on the War's Origin: Trump's belief that the war would not have happened under his presidency.
• Deadlines: Trump's view that the "deadline" is when the fighting stops, not a specific date.
• "Standard Negotiation Practice": Trump's justification for Witkoff's alleged coaching of the Russians.
• Ukraine's Smaller Size: Trump's acknowledgment of Ukraine's smaller population and military capacity compared to Russia.

Leaked Call Reveals Alleged Russian Strategy to Influence Trump on Ukraine Peace Deal

This summary details allegations surrounding a leaked phone call between Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for Donald Trump, and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The call, reportedly from October 14th, suggests Witkoff coached Ushakov on how to approach Trump regarding a peace deal for Ukraine.

Witkoff's Alleged Strategy for Engaging Trump

According to a transcript published by Bloomberg on November 25th, Witkoff advised Ushakov to initiate a call with Trump by congratulating him on the recent Gaza peace deal and affirming Russia's support for Middle East peace. Witkoff suggested this would lead to a "really good call" because, as he stated, "he's got to sell this to Ukraine. He's got to sell Ukraine to Russia. That's what he's That's what a dealmaker does."

Witkoff further proposed that Ushakov tell Trump that his Russian counterpart views him as a "man of peace." He also suggested that Ushakov could mention a "very similar 20-point plan to peace" discussed between himself and Trump, implying it could "move the needle a little bit" towards a deal. Witkoff expressed optimism, stating, "I think we're going to get to a deal here. And I think Yuri, the president, will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal." He emphasized creating an opportunity for a conversation between himself and Ushakov's boss, believing it could lead to "big stuff."

Timing and Connection to Zelenskyy's Visit

The Witkoff-Ushakov call occurred the day after Trump's visit to Israel and Egypt, where he celebrated the Gaza ceasefire. Witkoff's proposal aimed to arrange a Trump-Putin conversation before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's upcoming White House visit. This strategy appears to have been successful, as Trump and Putin spoke the day before Trump met with Zelenskyy. Following this October 17th meeting, Trump stated that Ukraine and Russia should "stop where they are," implying a call for Ukraine to cede occupied territory.

Trump's Peace Proposal and Russian Alignment

Trump's subsequent 28-point peace proposal, revealed shortly after, reportedly aligns significantly with Russian demands. Key elements include:

• Ukraine surrendering the entire Donbas region.
• Ukraine sharply scaling back its military.
• Ukraine accepting a European guarantee that it would never be permitted to join NATO.

Russian Officials' Response and Denials

When questioned by Russian state media about Bloomberg's report, Yuri Ushakov did not dispute the authenticity of the recordings but denied that Moscow was behind the leak. He stated, "The essence of these conversations is that they are confidential. I won't comment. No one should comment." Special Russian Envoy Curiel Demetri dismissed the transcript as fake, attributing such reports to "desperate warmongers" as peace approaches.

Trump's Defense and "Standard Negotiating Practice"

Donald Trump, when asked about the leaked audio, stated he had not heard it but described it as "standard negotiating practice." He reiterated that a dealmaker must "sell this to Ukraine" and "sell Ukraine to Russia." He characterized Witkoff's outreach as a typical negotiation tactic, where each party must "give and take." Trump also hinted at a potential meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy, but only after further progress in the talks.

The Human Cost and Strategic Realities

Trump acknowledged the significant human cost of the war, mentioning "25,000 soldiers, Ukraine, Russia in the last month" who have died. He expressed a desire to end the conflict, stating, "I think we're getting very close to a deal." He also commented on the difficulty of the Ukraine war compared to others he claims to have ended, attributing it to "hatred" and disagreements.

Regarding the peace plan, Trump described the initial 28-point document as a "map" or "concept" rather than a finalized plan. He explained that negotiations involve complex issues like drawing borders, stating, "You can't go through the middle of a house. You can't go through the middle of a highway." He also addressed concerns about the plan being too favorable to Russia by noting the current direction of the war, suggesting that territory might be lost to Russia anyway if the fighting continues. He posed the question: "So do you want to fight and lose another 50 60,000 people or do you want to do something now?"

Next Steps and Russian Concessions

The next step involves continued talks, with Steve Witkoff potentially meeting President Putin in Moscow the following week. Trump suggested that Russia's "big concession" would be to "stop fighting and they don't take any more land." He also expressed his belief that the war "would have never happened if I Mr. President."

Trump's View on Deadlines and Ukraine's Position

Trump stated he has no specific deadline for the peace deal, with his deadline being "When it's over." He believes both sides are "tired of fighting" and losing too many people. He also acknowledged Ukraine's smaller population and military capacity compared to Russia, suggesting that if Ukraine can make a deal, "it's a good thing."

Conclusion

The leaked transcript and subsequent statements highlight a complex and potentially controversial negotiation strategy involving Donald Trump's administration and Russia concerning the Ukraine conflict. The alleged coaching of Russian officials by a Trump envoy, coupled with Trump's peace proposal that appears to favor Russian demands, has raised questions about the impartiality of the peace efforts. While Trump defends these actions as standard negotiation tactics, the situation underscores the delicate balance of power and the significant human cost involved in seeking an end to the war.