Trump brushes off concerns about Witkoff’s interactions with Russians as leaked transcript roils Washington
By Betsy Klein, CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump brushed off concerns about his special envoy Steve Witkoff’s engagements with the Kremlin after a new phone call transcript provided rare insight into how the president’s top negotiator advised his Russian counterpart.
In the October 14 audio recording reviewed and transcribed by Bloomberg, Witkoff counsels top Russian foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov on how Russian President Vladimir Putin should approach a call with Trump. The transcript offers key new insight about the behind-the-scenes talks that produced a 28-point peace plan that has been the subject of intense discussions between the Trump administration, Russia and Ukraine in recent days.
“He’s gotta sell this to Ukraine, he’s gotta sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what a deal maker does,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One Tuesday evening when asked about the reported transcript of the call.
“I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation. And I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, because each party has to give and take,” the president added.
The transcript generated concern among some GOP Russia hawks on Capitol Hill who asserted that Witkoff was too much under Russia’s spell. Rep. Don Bacon called for him to be fired.
“For those who oppose the Russian invasion and want to see Ukraine prevail as a sovereign & democratic country, it is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians. He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he?” Bacon wrote on X.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick called it “a major problem. And one of the many reasons why these ridiculous side shows and secret meetings need to stop.”
Trump, when asked if he was worried Witkoff was too “pro-Russian,” said the war could “go on for years,” adding, “Russia’s got a lot more people – got a lot more soldiers. So I think if Ukraine can make a deal, it’s a good thing.”
Ushakov, meanwhile, expressed frustration about the leak.
“Some of these leaks are fake. Others I would prefer not to comment on at all, as, for example, my conversations with Witkoff are confidential. No one should disclose them. No one!” he said in comments reported by Russian state media.
Brett McGurk, a CNN global affairs analyst who served in senior national security positions under multiple presidents, said as a former negotiator his first thought was the call may have been leaked by a foreign intelligence service. He also told CNN’s John Berman on Tuesday that it’s unclear if it’s the full transcript.
McGurk added that it seemed like negotiators should regroup: “I just see this going sideways if not backwards.”
According to Bloomberg’s transcript of the call, Witkoff advised Ushakov to encourage his boss to congratulate Trump on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas when the two leaders spoke. That was indeed communicated two days later.
“President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump said in a social media post after the two leaders spoke in October.
Witkoff, notably, encouraged Ushakov in the call to have the leaders speak before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with Trump at the White House.
Trump’s call with Putin took place on October 16 and the two-and-a-half-hour conversation appeared to shift the US president’s tone toward Russia after weeks of frustration with a lack of progress toward ending the war.
The next day, Trump hosted Zelensky at the White House for a working lunch that turned tense when Trump insisted Ukraine make territorial concessions to Russia to end the war, according to European officials briefed on the meeting at the time.
Trump, who would later endorse a freeze in current battle lines as part of a peace settlement, grew frustrated and raised his voice multiple times, the officials said.
Witkoff also floated the idea of putting together a “20-point peace proposal” during his call with Ushakov similar to his efforts in Gaza. That eventually led to a 28-point peace proposal that included many concessions to Russia, including Kyiv ceding territory, giving up ambitions to join NATO and limiting the size of its army.
After high-level diplomatic talks between the US and Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland, and between the US and Russia in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the contours of that plan have shifted.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday described the plan as a “living, breathing document.”
Witkoff is now expected to travel to Moscow for additional negotiations as soon as next week, according to Trump, who told reporters that the envoy could also be joined by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is also expected to travel to Kyiv later this week for peace talks.
Trump suggested he would be open to meeting with Zelensky and Putin, but not until the deal is final or in final stages.
Asked if that meant his Thanksgiving deadline was flexible, he said, “I don’t have a deadline – I just – you know what the deadline for me is? When it’s over.”
CNN’s Clare Sebastian contributed to this report.
This story was updated with additional information.
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