By Shane CroucherShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberYuri Ushakov, the top foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the leak of a call between him and U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff was intended to meddle with the building of Moscow-Washington relations, as a potential peace deal to end the war in Ukraine takes shape.
In the call, reported by Bloomberg, Witkoff privately coached senior Kremlin advisers, including Ushakov, on how to pitch a Ukraine peace deal to Trump. The initial 28-point draft plan that emerged after Witkoff's conversations with Russian officials was criticized by Ukraine and its European allies as tantamount to capitulation to Moscow.
Speaking to a journalist for the Russia 1 channel on Wednesday, Ushakov said he speaks with Witkoff "fairly often" but would not comment on the content of their conversations.
"I don’t know why they’re so interested in publishing conversations. Why is this being done? In my view, for what purpose? To interfere," Ushakov said, originally in Russian. "It’s hardly being done to improve relations. Right now, relations are being built—built with difficulty—being built through these kinds of contacts, including telephone ones."
Ushakov said a "preliminary agreement has been reached" that Witkoff will travel to Moscow next week along with "a number of other members of the [Trump] administration who deal with Ukrainian matters."
The Kremlin aide said the substance of his conversations with Witkoff is "confidential," adding: "I do not comment on it. And no one, no one should comment. Where do they even get such information from? Someone leaks it, someone eavesdrops."
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
...Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
WorldUS Tests New MQ-9 Reaper Drone Operations Near China3 min read
WorldTrump Caught in China’s Flashpoint Dispute With Key US Ally4 min read
WorldVenezuela Reveals Xi and Putin’s Letters to Maduro3 min read
U.S.Map Shows US Air Force Strike Team Near Venezuela4 min read
NewsMapped: The North Korean Missiles That Can Strike US Territory3 min read
NewsTop US Commander Visits Troops as Pressure Builds on Venezuela4 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
WorldTrump Says Talks With Putin, Zelensky Await Final Peace Deal3 min read
NewsTrump May Defeat Maduro Without Battle and Lose War in Venezuela14 min read
NewsRepublican Senator Defends Mark Kelly, Calls Treason Accusations ‘Reckless’4 min read
NewsDonald Trump Floats Potential ‘Surprise’ After Trade Talks With China’s Xi3 min read
PoliticsIs Donald Trump Losing Republicans? What Polls Show6 min read
NewsIRS Considers Plans For Major New Tax Credit For Millions1 min readTrending
MoneyNew ‘Cash Law’ Could Change Grocery Store Rules3 min read
SnowfallWinter Storm Warning Issued As 25 Inches of Snow To Strike5 min read
U.S. Economy‘Mass Blackout’ Starts Today: What to Know3 min read
Home PricesPrice Correction ‘Worse Than 2008’ Coming To US Housing Market—Analyst5 min read
National Weather ServiceWinter Storm Alert Issued as 12 Inches of Snow Set To Hit3 min readOpinion
OpinionGOP Rep.: The U.S. Must Close Critical AI Chip Export Loophole Exploited by China | Opinion5 min read
OpinionAgriculture Secretary: Giving Thanks to the American Farmer This Thanksgiving | Opinion4 min read
OpinionFormer White House Middle East Envoy: What We Keep Getting Wrong About the UAE and Sudan | Opinion5 min read
OpinionGovernment-Mandated Affordability—Music to Consumer Ears | Opinion6 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: Ukraine Peace Plan Edition2 min read