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 that he had not heard the audio, but insisted that Witkoff was doing what a dealmaker does to sell the peace plan to both Russia and Ukraine.
The leaked call from last month surfaced following the presentation of a 28-point draft peace plan, which largely reflected Russian positions on its ongoing war in Ukraine.
Witkoff has visited Moscow several times this year and will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin again next week. However, he has not held talks in Kyiv.
He has never traveled to Kyiv in his role as special envoy, while other US officials have made similar visits. Recently, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll went to Kyiv, with Trump indicating he would conduct further discussions with Ukrainian officials.
Diplomatic efforts have continued despite initial criticism from Ukrainian and European leaders regarding the draft plan being too lenient towards Russia. Among its proposals was the transfer of Ukrainian-controlled territory to Russia.
The plan has since been revised to better align with Ukraine's interests, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated his willingness to meet with Trump to discuss remaining "sensitive points."
In the recording obtained and shared by Bloomberg, Witkoff appeared to advise Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, on strategies to improve relations with Trump. The conversation reportedly discussed ways to end the war, with Witkoff suggesting how to phrase a call to Trump.
Trump characterized the leaked audio as a very standard form of negotiations, asserting that Witkoff was merely doing his job. As further developments unfold, Witkoff's upcoming meeting in Moscow is positioned to be crucial for ongoing negotiations.
