Trump Envoy’s Leaked Call Raises Questions in Ukraine Peace Talks

U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine hit controversy this week after a leaked recording raised questions about how Washington is handling peace talks with Moscow.

The leak comes just before President Donald Trump sends U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week. The talks will focus on the latest version of a Trump‑backed peace proposal, now revised with input from Ukraine.

The first draft of the plan was criticised by Ukraine and European leaders for being too close to Russia’s demands, including handing over parts of Ukrainian territory. That proposal has since been modified, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready to meet Trump to discuss unresolved issues. Ukraine has said it supports the “essence” of the plan, though many details remain unsettled.

The controversy hit the fan today after Bloomberg published a transcript of an October phone call. The recording appeared to show Witkoff advising a Russian official on how to win Trump’s favour. Trump defended his envoy, saying Witkoff was simply acting like a “dealmaker” and trying to sell the plan to both sides.

According to the transcript, Witkoff appears to advise Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, to congratulate Trump, call him “a man of peace”, and keep the tone upbeat. He also mentions creating a 20-point peace outline “like we did in Gaza.”