American envoy Steve Witkoff at an event in Miami, Florida, November 6, 2025. © Alexander Tamargo / Getty Images for America Business Forum.
U.S. president Donald Trump defended key negotiator for Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, after Bloomberg claimed to have accessed the leak of a telephone call between Witkoff and a high-ranking Kremlin official.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg published Witkoff's transcript of the conversation with Russian advisor to president Yuri Uszakow on October 14. Neither Russia nor the US confirmed its authenticity.When asked on board Air Force One, did Witkoff ‘instructed’ The Russians, how they were expected to handle him, Trump replied that he did not know about the alleged leak.
He called Witkoff's approach ‘standard’, adding that the envoy, the erstwhile developer, had to ‘sell’ the conditions of both Russia and Ukraine."This is what a negotiator does. We gotta say, “Look, they want it – you gotta convince them that way”. This is simply a very standard form of negotiation" said Trump.
"I imagine that's what Ukraine says. Each side must give something and take it” – he added.When asked if Witkoff was ‘too pro-Russian’, Trump said no.“Look, this war can last for years. And Russia has a lot more men, a lot more soldiers. If Ukraine can come to an agreement, that's good. I think it is beneficial for both sides” – he added.On Tuesday, Bloomberg besides published an alleged evidence of a telephone conversation between Uszakow and Russian investment envoy and negotiator for Ukraine, Kirić Dmitriev.
Dmitriev claims the evidence is false.Russian officials had previously accused Western media of spreading misinformation to undermine Trump's mediation efforts.U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators met in Geneva this weekend, after which Trump stated that his first 28-point peace plan had been ‘extended’ thanks to additional consultations with Russia and Ukraine.Trump stated on Tuesday that he instructed Witkoff to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll would stay in contact with Ukrainian officials.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/628434-trump-defends-witkoff-tactics/
