A leaked phone conversation has exposed how Donald Trump's special envoy explicitly advised the Kremlin that Ukraine must cede control of Donetsk and potentially other territories to achieve peace, according to a recording obtained by Bloomberg.
The Revelations from St Petersburg
The explosive recording captures a 14 October discussion between Steve Witkoff, who recently helped broker the Gaza ceasefire, and Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide. During their five-minute conversation, Witkoff outlined what he believed would be necessary to end the nearly four-year conflict.
"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," Witkoff told Ushakov, according to Bloomberg's transcript of the call.
Despite advocating for these significant territorial concessions, Witkoff simultaneously coached the Russian official on how to frame discussions more optimistically, suggesting Ushakov should congratulate Trump and present the US president-elect as "a real peace man".
The 28-Point Peace Plan Emerges
This conversation appears to reveal the origins of the heavily criticised 28-point peace proposal that surfaced earlier in November. The controversial framework would require Ukraine to surrender the entire Donetsk region to Russia, including areas that remain under Ukrainian control.
The proposed deal would establish these territories as a demilitarised buffer zone internationally recognised as Russian territory. Additionally, the plan would grant Russia control of Luhansk and Crimea while freezing current battle lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Witkoff suggested modelling the approach on the Gaza ceasefire agreement, proposing that Moscow and Washington develop a joint 20-point "Trump plan" for peace in Ukraine.
Diplomatic Manoeuvring and Reactions
The envoy also provided tactical advice on timing, suggesting Putin should schedule a telephone conversation with Trump before Volodymyr Zelenskyy's planned White House visit later that week.
These revelations come as Trump announced on Tuesday that he was dispatching Witkoff to meet with Putin in Moscow and US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials. This diplomatic push precedes a potential White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy scheduled for Friday.
In a Truth Social post, Trump stated: "I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages."
While Putin has indicated the US plan could serve as basis for settlement, Ukrainian officials remain adamant they will not recognise Russian control of occupied territories or accept limits on their military forces.
The phone call occurred on the same day Trump publicly expressed frustration with Putin's unwillingness to end the war, creating a complex picture of the administration's evolving stance toward Moscow.
