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Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
In an Oct. 14 phone call that lasted a little over five minutes, Witkoff advised Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy aide, on how the Russian leader should broach the issue with Trump. His guidance included suggestions on setting up a Trump-Putin call before Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s White House visit later that week and using the Gaza agreement as a way in.
“We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” Witkoff told Ushakov, according to a recording of the conversation reviewed and transcribed by Bloomberg.
...
“Me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done,” Witkoff said. “Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here.”
“The president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal,” he added. “So if we can create that opportunity that after this I talked to Yuri and we had a conversation I think that could lead to big stuff.”
“Ok,” Ushakov replied. “That sounds good.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/putin-advisers-discuss-plans-for-dealing-with-trump-transcript (paywalled)
In an Oct. 14 phone call that lasted a little over five minutes, Witkoff advised Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy aide, on how the Russian leader should broach the issue with Trump. His guidance included suggestions on setting up a Trump-Putin call before Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s White House visit later that week and using the Gaza agreement as a way in.
“We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” Witkoff told Ushakov, according to a recording of the conversation reviewed and transcribed by Bloomberg.
...
“Me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done,” Witkoff said. “Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here.”
“The president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal,” he added. “So if we can create that opportunity that after this I talked to Yuri and we had a conversation I think that could lead to big stuff.”
“Ok,” Ushakov replied. “That sounds good.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/putin-advisers-discuss-plans-for-dealing-with-trump-transcript (paywalled)
An archived version of the article can be found here: https://archive.ph/2025.11.25-195159/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/witkoff-advised-russia-on-how-to-pitch-ukraine-plan-to-trump#selection-1533.0-1537.356
I'm not clear at the moment how Bloomberg got hold of the recordings of the calls, but it looks like they've broken a long habit and done some serious journalism. Maybe one of the non-Russian intelligence agencies is putting a shot across Witkoff and his co-conspiritors' bows?
The article summarizes some key points from the call, and gives a link to the full transcript. Unfortunately, the transcript itself's behind a paywall. If anyone here happens to have a Bloomberg subscription, maybe they could post a few key points in the replies. It's potentially a big enough story that someone might break it out of the paywall before long anyway.
Michael Weiss and Der Spiegel journalist Christo Grozev have posted on Twitter a couple of screenshots of the transcript to whet appetites:
If, like me, you thought Witkoff was a moneygrubbing, crooked, conniving, traitorous shitbag, maybe we were being too kind.
I'll look out for more of the transcript appearing elsewhere, and post anything I find in the replies below.
ETA: Transcript now posted below.
While I was drafting this post, I noticed the article's now also been posted in LBN: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143571973
7 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
But remember, investigating his finances wouldn't be how "we" do things. You probably should't be criticizing him either, or you'll get investigated. Or perhaps you already are. 
"Only the best people."
Last edited Tue Nov 25, 2025, 08:00 PM - Edit history (1)
Michael Weiss
@michaeldweiss
What an idiot. Bloomberg has the tapes, clearly. Fun parlor game now is finding out who leaked this.
@michaeldweiss
What an idiot. Bloomberg has the tapes, clearly. Fun parlor game now is finding out who leaked this.
I hope Dmitriev enjoys views from high windows while sipping his tea.
Bloomberg transcript of a second phone call, this time between him and Ushakov:
Ushakov: Hallo.
Dmitriev: Yuri Viktorovich.
Ushakov: Yes, Kirill Aleksandrovich, well, I’ve sent everything there. We’ll talk tomorrow.
Dmitriev: Well, great, great. Yes, yes, yes. I flew to Saudi Arabia. But it seems to me it’s very important, because it’s a really good way forward.
Ushakov: Well, we need the maximum, don’t you think? What do you think? Otherwise, what’s the point of passing anything on?
Dmitriev: No, look. I think we’ll just make this paper from our position, and I’ll informally pass it along, making it clear that it’s all informal. And let them do like their own. But, I don’t think they’ll take exactly our version, but at least it’ll be as close to it as possible.
Ushakov: Well, that’s exactly the point. They might not take and say that it was agreed with us. That’s what I’m afraid of.
Dmitriev: No, no, no. I’ll say it exactly as you say it, word for word.
Ushakov: They might twist it later, that’s all. There is that risk. There is. Well, alright, never mind. We’ll see.
Dmitriev: Yeah, it seems to me you can talk later with Steve about this paper. We will do everything neatly.
Ushakov: [Unclear]
Dmitriev: Thank you so much, Yuri Viktorovich. Thank you so much, thank you. Goodbye
https://archive.ph/2025.11.25-200649/https:/www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/putin-advisers-discuss-plans-for-dealing-with-trump-transcript#selection-1547.0-1575.152
Dmitriev: Yuri Viktorovich.
Ushakov: Yes, Kirill Aleksandrovich, well, I’ve sent everything there. We’ll talk tomorrow.
Dmitriev: Well, great, great. Yes, yes, yes. I flew to Saudi Arabia. But it seems to me it’s very important, because it’s a really good way forward.
Ushakov: Well, we need the maximum, don’t you think? What do you think? Otherwise, what’s the point of passing anything on?
Dmitriev: No, look. I think we’ll just make this paper from our position, and I’ll informally pass it along, making it clear that it’s all informal. And let them do like their own. But, I don’t think they’ll take exactly our version, but at least it’ll be as close to it as possible.
Ushakov: Well, that’s exactly the point. They might not take and say that it was agreed with us. That’s what I’m afraid of.
Dmitriev: No, no, no. I’ll say it exactly as you say it, word for word.
Ushakov: They might twist it later, that’s all. There is that risk. There is. Well, alright, never mind. We’ll see.
Dmitriev: Yeah, it seems to me you can talk later with Steve about this paper. We will do everything neatly.
Ushakov: [Unclear]
Dmitriev: Thank you so much, Yuri Viktorovich. Thank you so much, thank you. Goodbye
https://archive.ph/2025.11.25-200649/https:/www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/putin-advisers-discuss-plans-for-dealing-with-trump-transcript#selection-1547.0-1575.152