The Leaked Witkoff’s Phone Call: Ukraine – Russia Conflict Matrix.

President Donald Trump has announced yesterday – 25th November 2025, that his top envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, possibly accompanied by Jared Kushner, in trying to finalise an end to the war in Ukraine. The White House is backing Witkoff to the hilt despite yesterday’s jaw-dropping leak of a private phone call to one of Putin’s top aides, in which Witkoff appeared to offer tips to the Kremlin on bullying favour with the U.S. President.

But this is not just nose-against-glass voyeurism. This transcript appears to show one of the president’s top negotiators offering help and advice to Moscow on how to handle Trump, and on how to get ahead of a high-stakes meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who’s meant to be a U.S. ally.

A helping hand with the boss: “Yuri, here’s what I would do”, the transcript shows Witkoff telling Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s most-senior foreign policy adviser, ahead of a call between the U.S. and Russian Presidents last month. Witkoff suggests that on the call, Putin first “congratulate the president on the achievement” of his ceasefire deal in Gaza, and make clear that “you respect that he is a man of peace”. Witkoff adds: “I think from that, it’s going to be a really good call”.

It’s sage advice. Every world leader worth their salt knows you need to butter up Trump with flattery at the start of the conversation. But are top White House aides really meant to be offering tips to non-allied (some attributing outright hostile) overseas governments on how to handle the president? And during such a high-stakes negotiation?

And there’s more, much more: The transcript also shows Witkoff helped ensure Putin got to Trump ahead of a crucial meeting the US President had planned with Zelenskyy, in which the Ukrainian leader hoped to secure long-range missiles for use against Russia. “One more thing, Zelenskyy is coming to the White House on Friday”, Witkoff says, per the transcript. “I know that”, chuckles Ushakov. Witkoff tells him: “I think, if possible, we have the call with your boss before that Friday meeting”.

There’s a belief in diplomatic circles that Trump’s ever-changing stance on Ukraine is usually shaped by the last person he spoke to – Steve Witkoff. So, it proved on this occasion. Just as Witkoff suggested, Trump’s call with Putin took place two days before he met Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on October 19th, and immediately, the mood music changed. Missiles to Ukraine were out; another summit with Putin was on (though of course never actually happened). And the subsequent meeting with Zelenskyy went badly, with Trump “cursing” and raising his voice and “adopting many of Putin’s talking points”. Timing is everything, as Putin knows.

Witkoff Discusses Ukraine Plans With Key Putin Aide: Transcript

The following is a transcript of an October 14th phone call lasting just over 05 minutes between Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy for peace missions, and Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin’s most senior foreign-policy adviser.

The transcript as available pertinent to a recording of the call.

[phone rings]

Steve Witkoff: Hi Yuri.

Yuri Ushakov: Yeah, Steve hi, how are you?

SW: Good Yuri. How you doing?

YU: I am ok. Congratulations my friend.

SW: Thank you.

YU: You made a great job. Just a great job. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you.

SW: Thank you Yuri and thanks for your support. I know your country supported it and I thank you.

YU: Yes, yes, yes. Yes. You know that’s why we suspend the organization of first Russian-Arabic summit.

SW: Yes.

YU: Yeah, because we think that you are making the real job there in the region.

SW: Well, listen. I am going to tell you something. I think, I think if we can get the Russia-Ukraine thing solved, everybody’ll be jumping for joy.

YU: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, you need to solve only one problem. [laughs]

SW: What?

YU: Russian-Ukrainian war.

SW: I know! How do we get that solved?

YU: My friend, I just want your advice. Do you think that it will be useful if our bosses will talk on the phone?

SW: Yes, I do.

YU: You do. And when you think it could be possible?

SW: I think as soon as you suggest, my guy is ready to do it.

YU: Ok, ok.

SW: Yuri, Yuri, here’s what I would do. My recommendation.

YU: Yes, please.

SW: I would make the call and just reiterate that you congratulate the president on this achievement, that you supported it, you supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen. So, I would say that. I think from that it’s going to be a really good call.

Because, let me tell you what I told the President. I told the president that you – that the Russian Federation has always wanted a peace deal. That’s my belief. I told the president I believe that. And I believe the question is the issue is that we have two nations that are having a hard time coming to a compromise and when we do, we’re going to have a peace deal. I’m even thinking that maybe we set out like a 20-point peace proposal, just like we did in Gaza. 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. My point is this…

YU: Ok, ok my friend. I think that very point our leaders could discuss. Hey Steve, I agree with you that he will congratulate, he will say that Mr. Trump is a real peace man and so and so. That he will say.

SW: But here’s what I think would be amazing.

YU: Ok, ok.

SW: What if, what if… hear me out…

YU: I will discuss that with my boss and then I come back to you. Ok?

SW: Yeah, because listen to what I’m saying. I just want you to say, maybe just to say this to President Putin, because you know I have the deepest respect for President Putin.

YU: Yes, Yes.

SW: Maybe he says to President Trump: you know, Steve and Yuri discussed a very similar 20-point plan to peace and that could be something that we think might move the needle a little bit, we’re open to those sorts of things — to explore what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done. Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: 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. And I think Yuri, the president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal.

YU: I see…

SW: …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.

YU: Ok, that sounds good. Sounds good.

SW: And here’s one more thing: Zelensky is coming to the White House on Friday.

YU: I know that. [chuckles]

SW: I will go to that meeting because they want me there, but I think, if possible, we have the call with your boss before that Friday meeting.

YU: Before, before — yeah?

SW: Correct.

YU: Ok, ok. I got your advice. So, I discuss that with my boss and then I come back to you, ok?

SW: Ok Yuri, I’ll speak to you soon.

YU: Great, great. Thank you so much. Thanks, you.

SW: Bye, bye.

YU: Bye.

[Call Ends]

Finally, the leaked transcript from October 14th shows Witkoff gaming out what appears to be the genesis of his peace plan for Ukraine, and telling Ushakov what he privately believes the final price will be. “Me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done”, the transcript shows Witkoff saying. “Donetsk, and maybe a land swap somewhere”.

It’s all pretty revealing, given persistent criticism that the man Trump has picked for the task of liaising with the Kremlin is not just inexperienced — Witkoff being a real estate mogul, not a diplomat — but simply far too accepting of the Russian point of view. “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy,” you may recall Witkoff telling Tucker Carlson back in March, shortly after a trip to Moscow. “I liked him. I thought he was straight up with me.”

Unsurprisingly, the more Trump-critical GOP Russia hawks in Congress are deeply unhappy. “It is clear that Witkoff fully favours the Russians”, wrote Representative Don Bacon (Republican-Neb) on X. “He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired”.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (Republican-Pa) has called the leak “a major problem and one of the many reasons why these ridiculous side shows and secret meetings need to stop”. He called for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to be handed full control of the talks.

But Witkoff is going nowhere. “Steve played a pivotal role in helping secure President Trump’s historic Middle East peace agreements”, replied Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz. “I have far greater confidence in his skills to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict than RINOs like Brian Fitzpatrick”.

White House communications director Steven Cheung added: “This story proves one thing: Special Envoy Witkoff talks to officials in both Russia and Ukraine nearly every day to achieve peace, which is exactly what President Trump appointed him to do”.

On his flight last night, Trump said he hadn’t heard the leaked call directly but that he’d “heard it was standard negotiation. I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine”.

A Second Call Transcript was published yesterday, of what it said was a subsequent strategy call between Ushakov and another Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, the person with whom Witkoff later drew up the 28-point plan. It appears to show the Russians expressing some confidence their “maximum” demands would be included in the final U.S. proposal. Again, the transcript has not been independently verified, but it too looks designed to undermine Witkoff and his plan.

Wherever all this extraordinary intel came from, it doesn’t bode well for Ukraine, given its Witkoff who has headed to Moscow to discuss final terms with Putin. In the meantime, Ukraine is on the receiving end as Vice President JD Vance’s close associate Dan Driscoll, the Army Secretary, returning for more talks later this week.

To make matters worse for Ukraine, Trump is refusing to meet with Zelenskyy until a final deal is agreed, which is another ominous sign for Ukraine, given the peace deal sketched out in Geneva on Sunday apparently rested on the two Presidents negotiating the most-contentious points directly. But it sounds like Trump will wait to get feedback from Putin and Witkoff before he invites Zelenskyy to the White House. “He would like to come”, Trump told reporters on Air Force One, “but I think we should get a deal done first”.

Clearly, the headlong rush for a quick resolution is dissipating. Trump confirmed last night he has dropped his Thursday deadline for Ukraine to agree a deal, and with Witkoff not headed to Moscow until next week, we may actually be able to eat Thanksgiving turkey in relative peace and quiet. Famous last words, “I know”.

Team Maverick