A leaked phone conversation has ignited a political firestorm, revealing that an envoy for Donald Trump reportedly advised a senior Kremlin official on how to flatter the former US president to facilitate a peace deal for Ukraine.
Coaching the Kremlin
The transcript, which was obtained and published by Bloomberg News, details a call between Steve Witkoff, acting as a special envoy for Donald Trump, and Yuri Ushakov, a key foreign policy aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The conversation took place on Wednesday 26 November 2025.
During the discussion, Witkoff is said to have instructed Ushakov to specifically congratulate Trump on his Gaza deal. Furthermore, he coached the Russian official to portray Trump as a 'man of peace' during a forthcoming call between Trump and Putin. The apparent goal was to ensure the conversation between the two leaders was productive and conducive to negotiations.
The Controversial Peace Proposal
The leaked documents go beyond mere diplomatic flattery. They also reveal that Steve Witkoff suggested a 20-point plan for achieving peace in Ukraine. Most controversially, the transcript indicates that Witkoff appeared to support the idea of Ukraine surrendering the Donetsk region to Russia, a move that would significantly undermine Ukrainian sovereignty.
In the wake of the leak, Donald Trump publicly defended his envoy. He characterised Witkoff as a 'dealmaker' whose central mission was to negotiate between Ukraine and Russia. From the Russian side, Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Putin was indeed prepared to offer praise to Trump, aligning with the advice given.
Political Fallout and Calls for Dismissal
The revelation has triggered immediate and severe political consequences. US Representative Don Bacon has led calls for Witkoff's dismissal from his role, labelling the advice given to a geopolitical adversary as deeply inappropriate.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that talks with the Trump team are ongoing. He has publicly stated that Ukraine will not be an obstacle to peace, even as these controversial back-channel negotiations concerning a revised peace plan continue to unfold.
