Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and other officials involved in resolving the Ukraine conflict will visit Moscow next week. Ushakov, who advises President Vladimir Putin on foreign affairs, shared this information during remarks on a Bloomberg report, which quoted what it claimed were leaked phone calls between Ushakov and Witkoff, as well as senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.
Ushakov declined to comment on the authenticity of the transcripts, stating that “somebody tapped, somebody leaked, but not us,” and noting that the leak was intended to harm Russian-US relations. The purported discussion between Ushakov and Witkoff was described as the “genesis” of the 28-point US proposal on ending the Ukraine conflict, which was discussed with representatives from Kiev in Geneva last weekend.
Ukrainian officials claim they have convinced the US to alter its proposal in a way that respects Kiev’s red lines. A member of Zelenskiy’s administration asserted following the talks in Geneva that the initial plan, which was also leaked to the press, “no longer exists” in its original form.
Ushakov criticized the “media hype” regarding the discussions as an attempt to derail Trump’s efforts and “distort the plan,” noting that Moscow refused to engage in “megaphone diplomacy” and sought calm discussions of the issue behind closed doors.
The visit comes amid ongoing tensions over the proposed settlement, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasizing the need for discreet negotiations.
