Trump defends Witkoff after leak appears to show envoy coaching Russia [View all]

Earlier DU thread: Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump

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Source: BBC

Trump defends Witkoff after leak appears to show envoy coaching Russia

26 November 2025

Hafsa Khalil

US President Donald Trump has defended special envoy Steve Witkoff as doing the "standard thing" after a leaked recording appeared to show him advising a Russian official on how to appeal to the president.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday he had not heard the audio, but that Witkoff was doing "what a dealmaker does" to "sell" the peace plan to both Russia and Ukraine.

The leaked call from last month emerged days after a 28-point draft peace plan presented by the US largely reflected Russian positions on its full-scale war in Ukraine.

Witkoff has visited Moscow several times this year and will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin again next week.

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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3r7xr94ln8o