Special Envoy Witkoff Reportedly Advised Top Russian Official How To Pitch Ukraine Plan To Trump

U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised a top Russian official on how to pitch the latest plan to end the war in Ukraine, according to a new report.

The episode took place last month during a call between Witkoff and Putin's top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, Bloomberg detailed.

The suggestion included trying to set up a call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin before a visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House, which will take place later this week.

"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," Witkoff told his counterpart, according to a recording of the conversation obtained by the outlet. He also suggested Putin congratulate Trump on the Gaza deal during a phone call.

Neither a spokesperson for the White House or the Kremlin replied to requests for comment from Bloomberg.

The plan seems to have been the conception of the 28-point plan recently announced by the White House, which has been criticized by Russia hawks from both parties.

The plan would de facto recognize some regions occupied by Russia, limit the size of the Ukrainian military and have Kyiv agree to never join NATO. Putin said he believed the plan could serve as basis for a peace settlement.

Ukraine, however, has amended the plan and removed some of Russia's demand, officials told The Guardian on Tuesday. European leaders said that chances of a deal being reached quickly are slim, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could travel to the White House this week to discuss the plan further.

The modified plan includes 19 points, with Ukrainian and European officials saying the frontlines must be the starting point for any conversation. "Many correct elements have been incorporated into this framework," Zelensky said.

Russia has not shown complete agreement with the plan either. Putin's top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said the "draft" will "require further reworking." He also slammed the counterproposal, saying that "at first glance," the "European plan" is "completely unconstructive and does not work for us."