MOSCOW: Russia will make no major concessions on a peace plan for Ukraine, a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday, following the leak of a call in which US envoy Steve Witkoff advised Moscow on how to present a proposal to former President Donald Trump. Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow next week to discuss a potential end to the nearly four-year-old conflict.
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The leak, published by Bloomberg News, revealed Witkoff coaching Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov on negotiating tactics with Trump. Moscow condemned the leak as an unacceptable attempt to undermine peace efforts, describing it as a form of “hybrid warfare.” Bloomberg confirmed it reviewed a recording of the call but did not disclose how it obtained it.
President Trump dismissed questions about the episode while aboard Air Force One, saying such advice is “what a dealmaker does” and “a very standard form of negotiation.” He added that Russia has a numerical advantage over Ukraine and suggested the plan could be “a good deal for Ukraine.”
Russia completely refuses any concessions during the negotiations on “peace talks” with Ukraine, including the achievement of the goals of the “Special Military Operation” – Russian Foreign Ministry
Which was what had to be proven to the incompetent US politicians. Peace is… pic.twitter.com/7XfNlfeZgk
— Devana (@DevanaUkraine) November 26, 2025
Ushakov confirmed multiple conversations with Witkoff via WhatsApp and said the US envoy would meet Russian officials next week, with Jared Kushner, who previously helped negotiate a Gaza ceasefire, also involved. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it is “premature” to discuss any peace deal at this stage.
Russian forces currently control over 19 percent of Ukraine’s territory following their 2022 invasion and have made rapid gains this year. Kyiv and its European allies have condemned the invasion as an “imperial-style land grab,” while President Vladimir Putin frames the war as a response to Western encroachment and NATO expansion following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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The upcoming meetings are being closely watched as international leaders push for a resolution to the conflict. However, Moscow’s insistence on limiting concessions suggests any breakthrough may face significant challenges.