U.S. Envoy Advised Kremlin on Presenting Ukraine Peace Plan to Trump

In October 2025, U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, on how to present a Ukraine peace proposal to President Donald Trump. According to a transcript reviewed by Bloomberg News, Witkoff suggested that Putin should call Trump to congratulate him on the Gaza ceasefire agreement, express Russia's support for the deal, and acknowledge Trump as a "man of peace." Witkoff indicated that such an approach would lead to a productive conversation.

The call between Witkoff and Ushakov occurred on October 14, shortly after Trump's visit to Israel and Egypt to celebrate the Gaza ceasefire. Witkoff proposed that Putin and Trump discuss a 20-point peace plan for Ukraine, similar to the Gaza agreement. He also recommended scheduling the call before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the White House later that week.

Following this advice, Putin and Trump spoke on October 16. Shortly after meeting with Zelenskyy on October 17, Trump suggested that Ukraine and Russia should "stop where they are" on the battlefield, implying that Ukraine should accept the current territorial lines.

The proposed 28-point peace plan, which became public in early November, has been criticized for favoring Russian interests. It includes provisions for Ukraine to cede the entire Donbas region to Russia, reduce its military size, and forgo NATO membership. U.S. Representative Don Bacon criticized Witkoff's actions, stating that he "cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations" and suggesting he should be dismissed.

The White House did not dispute the authenticity of the transcript. President Trump described Witkoff's approach as "standard" negotiating procedure, emphasizing the need to sell the plan to both Ukraine and Russia. White House communications director Steven Cheung stated that Witkoff's frequent discussions with Russian and Ukrainian officials align with his role in achieving peace.

On November 25, Trump announced that Witkoff would meet with Putin in Moscow to further discuss the peace plan, while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll would engage with Ukrainian officials. Trump indicated that he might meet with both Putin and Zelenskyy once further progress is made in the negotiations.