Very interesting events are happening around the Russia-Ukraine peace process.
"Bloomberg" has published the phone calls held in October between Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff and Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov, as well as between Ushakov and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kiril Dmitriev.
From the texts, it is understood that Witkoff effectively acts as an agent of Russian influence within the current US administration. For example, two days before Zelensky's recent trip to the US, on October 14, in a phone call with Ushakov, he advises him that Putin should call Trump, congratulate him on the Gaza peace, praise him, and call him a man of peace. In other words, Witkoff teaches a foreign leader (from a country that is not an ally or friend) ways to manipulate the US president. Witkoff tells Ushakov that the Russia-Ukraine conflict can be resolved and a plan can be prepared for it just like in Gaza. Witkoff says he deeply respects Putin and always tells Trump that Putin wants peace.
As is known, the Putin-Trump phone conversation takes place and Trump is very pleased, announcing that Putin wants peace and that they will meet soon in Budapest. The next day, he sends Zelensky, who came to the White House, back empty-handed. (Although he had said he could provide Ukraine with "Tomahawk" missiles).
In the October 29 phone call between Ushakov and Dmitriev, the peace plan is discussed. Dmitriev says he will unofficially hand the paper (peace proposals) to the US side. He says the Americans will probably not accept the Russian version entirely, but a document very close to it may emerge.
It is known that Dmitriev flies to the US and meets with Witkoff at his home in Miami, as well as with Trump's son-in-law Kushner; as a result, the "28-point plan" emerges...
IMPORTANT QUESTION:
- Who is the power that listens to Putin's aide Ushakov and leaks his phone conversations to the media precisely at this moment?
Whoever it is, most likely they do not consider the current peace process suitable for their interests and are trying to undermine it. (There is no doubt that they have many such materials in their possession). This could be US intelligence, or British intelligence. It is not excluded that Russia, dissatisfied with the final version of the peace plan (19 points), may also be interested in disrupting the process, but this does not seem like a reasonable assumption.
Let's not forget that US Secretary of State Rubio called Witkoff’s plan "Russian proposals" in a conversation with senators and afterwards took the initiative to make changes in the notorious plan in Geneva negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation in favor of Ukraine.
In this scandal, Steve Witkoff could be the one who suffers the most personally. The released texts (there are also audio recordings) primarily put him under pressure. Already two Republican Congress members, responding to the event, have demanded Witkoff's dismissal.
Trump said in his first comment that he has not reviewed the released audio recordings, but that such is the practice of negotiations; Witkoff must sell out Ukraine in contacts with Russia to achieve results. At the same time, Trump refused to support the known 28-point document, saying that it is not a peace plan but a concept that needs to be worked on.
Şahin Cəfərli,
political analyst
